by Everyday on June 7, 2011
You can’t judge a book by its cover, but potential employers are notorious for judging job applicants by their outfits. Unfair? Maybe – but if you really want the job, you’ll make a token bow to conservatism and avoid raising eyebrows. Here are the top outfits that employers say turn them off from scheduling a second interview.
Sexy. Too short and too low-cut are both no-no’s (whether you’re a man or a woman). “I feel uncomfortable when panties, chest hair or cleavage are in clear sight,” says Angelo, owner of a small consulting business near Los Angeles. With only 8 people in our office, an employee who wears revealing clothing is just going to cause tension. So, no call-back, sorry!”.
Dirty. You don’t need to rush out and buy a new interview outfit every time your resume makes it to the top of the pile, but don’t go to the other extreme either. Pratibha, head of the oncology department at a private care center in Delhi, recalls one hopeful who appeared in dusty shoes and a wrinkled jacket. “It was very clear that he was not serious – even in the interview his attitude was quite casual, so along with the dirtiness I didn’t have a good feeling about him.”
Flashy. Black may be a little too safe for some job interviews, but it’s rare that hot pink pushes the right buttons. “I also find it distracting when someone shows up in a really weird outfit, like once we had a girl who wore tailored overalls with an orange bolero jacket,” Brooklyn-based software engineer Renata says.“It’s not exactly a deal-breaker, but it kind of makes you wonder.”
Dangerous. High heels are no longer a must for women in business attire, so don’t feel compelled towear them. But if you do wear heels to an interview, avoid sporting a brand-new pair or going higher than you’re comfortable with. Gareth, Surrey bookshop owner, remembers one interviewee nearly falling down the stairs. “She caught the handrail just in time,” he chuckles. “6-inch heels aren’t the best choice for a bookshop with lots of stepladders and winding stairs.
Smelly. Underarm odor and bad breath are obvious turn-offs, but you may not be aware that your perfume of choice can be just as offensive. “Whether it’s cologne, body spray, hair product, I don’t wantto know about it,”says Alex owner of a popular fast food franchise in Anchorage. Even if you can’t smell yourself, others will be able to, so don’t let a nervous shake of the spray can hinder your chances at that dream job.
As long asyou avoid any of the above outfits, you should make a good first impression in your next job interview. And once you’ve landed the job, you can wear whatever you want when you head out to celebrate with your friends.
by Everyday on June 7, 2011
Do you wake up every morning hoping to get hit by a car on your way to work? If so, it might be time to quit. If everyone who despised their jobs quit tomorrow, thousands of offices around the nation would be eerily empty. Fortunately for human resources departments, most employees will continue leading lives of quiet desperation, clocking in and clocking out day after day.
Why? Because as soon as they think about quitting, excuse mode kicks into high gear. And some excuses sound pretty convincing. But if you play devil’s advocate and talk back to those excuses, they start to look a bit shaky.Give it a go. What do you have to lose? Here are the three most common excusesfor not quitting a job you hate, along with their counterarguments.
Excuse 1: Fear of Not Finding Another Job
Can you absolutely know that you won’t be able to find another job? Perhaps being unemployed is the kick in the pants your subconscious needs. Sure, conventional wisdom says that the best time to look for a job is when you already have one.But on the other hand, if you’re too drained at the end of the day to fill out applications or update your resume, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever make progress.
Another argument: perhaps you don’t need to find another job. You may be able to earn more as a freelancer, consultant, or independent contractor. Better yet, how about starting your own business? Instead of assuming that working for someone else is the only option, open up to all the possibilities.
Excuse 2: Waiting to be Fired
There are so many things wrong with this attitude that it’s hard to know where to begin. First of all, someone who’s hoping to be laid off so they can collect severance pay exudes an extremely off-putting odor. It’s similar to the nasty smell emanating from the guy who’s waiting around for his girlfriend to dump him because he doesn’t have the guts to end the relationship. That passive, cowardly attitude will start to permeate everything you do.
And when you eventually do get tired, you’re not going to be able to change your lame attitude overnight. You’ll end up sitting on the couch all day, eating frozen popsicles and hoping a potential employer will call. By contrast, the person who confidently walks away from a toxic job and hits the street with a big smile, looking for his or her dream job, sends out positive vibes of awesomeness. Who do you want to be?
Excuse 3: No Savings to Fall Back On
Okay, this is actually an acceptable temporary excuse if you add one simple little word – “No savings to fall back on…yet!”That “yet” empowersyouto make a plan and set an achievable goal. How much money do you want to have in savings before you’d feel comfortable quitting your job? Figure out how long it will take you to get there if you cut out every unnecessary expense. And don’t say you’ve already cut down as much as possible. That’s rarely true.
Would it kill you to go without home internet, mobile phone plan extras, or cable TVfor three months? How about cutting out all coffee, haircuts, and DVD rentals? And if you want to go extreme, turn off your electricity, heat, and gas and see how much money you save.Your friends may think you’re crazy, but a minimalist lifestyle might be the ticket to freedom.
When you take full responsibility for your own life, unpredictable and amazing things start to happen. But as long as you let tired excuses control your life path, you’ll never know what could have been. One thing is for sure: nobody ever looks back and says, “Gee, I wish I hadn’t quit that job I hated five years ago.”
by Everyday on June 7, 2011
So you’ve graduated with straightAs and you’re ready to rock the working world. There’s only one problem – employers don’t seem to be beating a path to your front door. The following tips will help you maximize your job search efforts and find that ideal first job.
Be gregarious. Make everyone you talk to aware of your job search, from your hairdresser to casual acquaintances. You never know who might have the perfect job lead.
Don’t spend too much time on your resume. If you’ve spent more than a day re-formatting and tweaking, that’s too much. Employers don’t spend a lot of time analyzing entry-level resumes.
Use social networking. Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter aren’t just for fun. Post frequent updates about your job search and make connections with people working in your field.
Don’t lean too much on online job sites like Monster.com. So many people are lookingforworkthat online jobbanks are no longer your best bet. Take no more than half a day to post your resume and sign up for automated job searches.
Pound the pavement. Many entry-level jobs aren’t advertised online or in the newspapers.Don’t be afraid to walk into a company and ask if they’re hiring. They’ll love your initiative.
If you follow these tips, you’ll spend less time waiting for the phone to ring and more time preparing for interviews. Good luck finding your first job!
