Resumes and Interviews Dr. Leahcim Semaj

1. 11

2. Resumes &
Interviews
DR. LEAHCIM SEMAJ
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3. Dr. Leahcim Semaj
Intl. Keynote & Motivational Speaker
Above or Beyond
876-383-5627
02/26/1602/26/16 www.LTSemaj.comwww.LTSemaj.com 33

4. The Job Search Tool KitThe Job Search Tool Kit
 The first impression you give an employer
is the most important one
 That first impression includes:
Email
Phone
Fax
Resume
Cover letter
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5. The Job Search Tool KitThe Job Search Tool Kit
Use an appropriate
EMAIL ADDRESS
Answering machine
or voicemail
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6. The Job Search Tool Kit:The Job Search Tool Kit:
YOUR RESUMEYOUR RESUME
 One of the most important components of the job search
process is having a ‘perfect’ resume
 Anything less than ‘perfect’ is NOT ACCEPTABLE
 Here is one area over which you have full control
 You can’t afford not to do your best
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7. Your ResumeYour Resume
Where to get advice
Seek advice from many sources but go beyond
what they tell you
 Start with the
Internet
Read books
Read magazines
Consult “experts”
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8. Your ResumeYour Resume
Consult experts
Investigate if these persons have ever
personally effectively used the advice
that they are giving
How many people have successfully used
their advice
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9. Your ResumeYour Resume
Consult experts
Find out, if you can,how
many people they have ever
hired!
This is one of the best
contexts in which one gets to
see a wide variety of bad
resumes
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10. Guidelines for Resume WritingGuidelines for Resume Writing
1. Make sure that you have a clear job
search objective prior to writing the
resume
2. Be concise and selective
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11. Guidelines for Resume WritingGuidelines for Resume Writing
3. Make a good first impression
4. Think of your resume as a
marketing tool
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12. Guidelines for Resume WritingGuidelines for Resume Writing
5. Use a resume to obtain an interview,
not a job
6. List all your skills on one page
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13. Guidelines for Resume WritingGuidelines for Resume Writing
7. What have you achieved?
8. Do not include references on your
resume unless they are specifically
requested
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14. The New Work Order Resume
1. NAME
2. ADDRESS
3. PHONE #
(Email)
4. SPECIAL SKILLS
5. MAJOR
ACHIEVEMENTS
6. WORK EXPERIENCE
7. EDUCATION &
TRAINING
8. COMMUNITY &
EXTRACURRICULAR
ACTIVITIES
9. DATE OF BIRTH
10. REFERENCES ON
REQUEST
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15. Cover Letters That WorkCover Letters That Work
The cover letter that accompanies
your resume is really your self-
promotion on the page
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16. Cover Letters That WorkCover Letters That Work 1616
1. If you are responding to an
advertisement, make sure to
read the advertisement
carefully
• As you read, highlight the
items that seem to be
particularly important

17. Cover Letters That WorkCover Letters That Work
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1. If you are responding to an advertisement, make
sure to read the advertisement carefully
• Try to identify the
• Skills
• Abilities
• Training
• that are essential to the employer and that
you, the applicant, possess

18. Cover Letters That WorkCover Letters That Work 1818
1. If you are responding to an
advertisement
• make sure to read the
advertisement carefully
• The cover letter should draw from
your resume
• to respond directly to points
raised in the advertisement

19. Cover Letters That WorkCover Letters That Work
2. Statements about your
experience and long-term
career objectives
• belong in your cover letter
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20. Cover Letters That WorkCover Letters That Work
3. Get to the point
 Do not put too much information into your cover
letter
 Your readers have limited time and will not wade
through several pages
 Keep it brief and the tone businesslike
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21. Cover Letters That WorkCover Letters That Work
4. Use Good grammar
 Your sentence structure, spelling, the
adjectives you use to describe
yourself, are all vital in the creation of
a good cover letter
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22. Cover Letters That WorkCover Letters That Work
 The language you use gives insight into your
personality and your professional profile
 Make a habit of reading widely
 New words will come into your vocabulary
 These will serve you well in your professional life
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23. The Job Search Tool Kit:The Job Search Tool Kit:
APPROPRIATE ATTIREAPPROPRIATE ATTIRE
1. Wear a solid color conservative suit with a
coordinated shirt or blouse
2. Wear moderate shoes
• Wear your size
3. Make sure your hair is well groomed and neat
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24. APPROPRIATE ATTIREAPPROPRIATE ATTIRE
4. Don't overdo the perfume, makeup, or
aftershave
5. Limit your jewelry
6. Make sure to try on your outfit
BEFORE the day of the interview
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25. Prep for the 10 Most
Common Interview
Questions
BY CAROLE MARTIN
MSN FEBRUARY 2, 2003
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26. Why Should We Hire You?
Summarize your experiences:
"With five years' experience working in the Fast
Food industry and my proven record of customer
service,
I could make a big difference in your company
I'm confident I would be a great addition to your
team
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27. Why Do You Want to Work Here?
 The interviewer is listening for an answer that indicates
you've given this some thought and are not sending
out resumes just because there is an opening
 For example,
"I've selected key companies whose mission
statements are in line with my values, where I know
I could be excited about what the company does,
and this company is very high on my list of
desirable choices."
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28. What Are Your Goals?
 Sometimes it's best to talk about short-term and
intermediate goals rather than locking yourself into
the distant future
 For example
 "My immediate goal is to get a job in a growth-oriented
company
 My long-term goal will depend on where the company
goes
 I hope to eventually grow into a position of responsibility."
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29. Why Did You Leave
(Are You Leaving) Your Job?
 If you're unemployed, state your reason for leaving in a
positive context:
 "I managed to survive two rounds of downsizing, but the
third round was a 20% reduction in the workforce, which
included me."
 If you are employed, focus on what you want in your next
job:
 "After 2 years, I made the decision to look for a company
that is team-focused, where I can add my experience.“
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30. When Were You Most Satisfied in Your
Job?
 The interviewer wants to know what motivates you
 If you can relate an example of a job or project when
you were excited, the interviewer will get an idea of
your preferences
 "I was very satisfied in my last job, because I worked
directly with the customers and their problems;
that is an important part of the job for me."
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31. What Can You Do for Us That Other
Candidates Can't?
 What makes you unique?
 This will take an assessment of your experiences, skills
and traits
 Summarize concisely:
"I have a unique combination of strong technical
skills, and the ability to build strong customer
relationships.
This allows me to use my knowledge and break
down information to be more user-friendly."
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32. What Are 3 Positive Things Your Last Boss
Would Say About You?
It's time to pull out your old performance
appraisals and boss's quotes
This is a great way to brag about yourself
through someone else's words:
"My boss has told me that I am the best employee
he has ever had.
He knows he can rely on me, and he likes my sense
of humour.
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33. " What Salary Are You Seeking?”
 It is to your advantage if the employer tells you the
range first
 Prepare by knowing the going rate in your area, and
your bottom line or walk-away point
 One possible answer would be:
"I am sure when the time comes, we can agree on a
reasonable amount.
In what range do you typically pay someone with
my background?
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34. "If You Were an Animal, Which One
Would You Want to Be?”
 Interviewers use this type of psychological question to
see if you can think quickly
 If you answer "a bunny,"
you will make a soft, passive impression
 If you answer "a lion,"
you will be seen as aggressive
 What type of personality would it take to get the job
done?
 What impression do you want to make?
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35. 9 Things You Should Never
Say in an Interview
AVOID THE FOLLOWING INTERVIEW PITFALLS AS PART OF A
STRATEGY THAT SELLS YOUR STRENGTHS AND ASSETS
BY JENNIFER RAE ATKINS, WETFEET
CAREERBUILDERS .COM
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36. 1. "What does your company do?“
• Ask questions that show you're well informed
and eager to work at the company,
• not those to which you should already know the
answers
• or that can be easily gleaned from the company's
website or annual report
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37. 2. "My salary requirements are very flexible“
• Compensation is often the touchiest subject in an
interview
• When push comes to shove, you should be willing at
least to give a range, even if you have to be broad
• But don't pretend to be flexible when you aren't
• Don't sell yourself short, but ask yourself how much you
honestly think you're worth
• Do research about what similar jobs pay and what
salaries are like
• If a company comes back with too low an offer, you
can always try and negotiate up
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38. 3. "It would be hella cool to get jiggy
with this job.“
• Maybe that is how all of your friends talk (and it's
become a habit with you), but it's not the way you
should speak during a job interview
• Using slang is a serious turnoff for interviewers
• You may be articulate, intelligent, and confident, but
like, you sure won't sound that way
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39. 4. "Butch Stewart himself offered me
a $100,000 bonus.“
 Don't lie! You'll be found out, and you'll regret it
 Someday when you least expect it, someone
somewhere will discover that you didn't really increase
sales by 999% in 6 months
 Interviewers know you'll probably exaggerate a little to
sell yourself; but don't cross the line between
exaggeration and out-and-out lying
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40. 5. "In 5 years, I see myself on a boat
in the Caribbean.“
 When interviewers ask you about long-term goals, they
want an answer that relates to the company
 Even if you don't plan to stick around long, say
something that reflects a commitment to the position
and the company
 This may seem to contradict the previous exhortation
about lying, but try to think of it as a rhetorical question
 You might still be at the same company in five years,
right?
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41. 6. "Sorry, I don't know how to do that“
Rather than admitting that you don't have a
specific skill, stress that you're a fast learner
and are excited about the possibility of
acquiring new skills
Most companies would rather hire an
enthusiastic, smart person who needs to be
trained than someone who already has the
required skills but isn't as eager to learn
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42. 7. "You see, I just went through a
painful divorce. . . .“
Even if an interviewer starts getting personal,
don't follow suit
You may think you're being open and honest,
but you're really just coming across as
unprofessional, unfocused, and disrespectful
Keep it businesslike and polite
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43. 8. "What can your company do for me?“
 Interviewers hate arrogance and selfishness
 Stress the contributions you can make
 Tell them about how your efforts helped previous
employers
 Remember, you're the one being interviewed, and
while you should use the opportunity to get your
questions answered, you shouldn't make it seem as if
you'll be doing them a favor if they hire you
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44. 9. "I left my last job because my boss
was a real jerk”
 Bad-mouthing your previous employer is possibly the
dumbest thing you can do during an interview
 Even if your last company was a chaotic hellhole, your
boss was a monster, your coworkers were Martians,
and you got paid in tin cans
say that you left to look for more responsibility
you wanted greater opportunity for advancement
or you were just ready for a change.
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45. Dr. Leahcim Semaj
Intl. Keynote & Motivational Speaker
Above or Beyond
876-383-5627
02/26/1602/26/16 www.LTSemaj.comwww.LTSemaj.com 4545