05.31.06

more interview questions

Posted in Career at 5:51 am by Paloma Cruz

Monster is a never-ending source of material to prepare you for your interview. Here are some more questions you may want to anticipate:

  • Tell me about a time when you faced a major obstacle at work.
  • How do you deal with conflict?
  • Tell me about yourself.
  • How would you describe your work style?
  • Why are you interested in this job/our organization?

For their tips on how to prepare, read the article.

05.30.06

more tips for your resume

Posted in Career at 5:16 am by Paloma Cruz

A few more tips for your resume, from Blog Forward:

  1. Put your cell phone number (or work number) on your resume.
  2. Put your email address on the resume, preferably in a “link” format if emailing the resume.
  3. A resume is a marketing piece.
  4. Unless you have a very specific “Objective,” leave it off your resume.
  5. The preferred resume format is chronological order, the positions and responsibilities you’ve had over the years.
  6. Each position listed on the resume should include the years of employment.
  7. Proofread your resume and then have someone else proofread it for you.
  8. Depending on the number of years in the workforce, a one or two page resume is sufficient.
  9. Your resume should be simple and straightforward.
  10. If your resume runs more than one page, do not put page number within the body of the resume since the actual page break will vary depending on the software and display mode of the interviewer’s computer.
  11. Resumes today are typically emailed to an employer and emailed from one person to another within a company. Don’t bother faxing or mailing unless specifically asked.
  12. Cover letters should be kept short and to the point, as they are often not read, especially if lengthy.

05.29.06

interview preparations

Posted in Career at 5:10 am by Paloma Cruz

Interview Prep for New Grads, from Monster:

  • Research the Company/Organization in Depth
  • Identify What You Have to Sell
  • Prepare Examples
  • Develop Some Intelligent Questions
  • Develop Your Close
  • Practice
  • Be Ready for Surprises
  • Get Primped
  • Know Where You’re Going — Literally
  • Rest Up
  • Plan to Bring Your Resume to the Interview
  • Make Peace with Mistakes

05.28.06

what you can accomplish with an interview

Posted in Career at 5:06 am by Paloma Cruz

Interviews are a way to get to know you, or at least that’s what’s supposed to happen.

The interview process is the time for you both to read the fine print. Check the labels. Make sure you’re getting what you pay for.

So, when it comes to asking questions of the company, don’t falter and try and ask the textbook questions. Really ask what is important. You are interviewing them. Go over the basics, of course. But also ask what kind of social activities the company takes part in. Do they support volunteering. How do teams work together. Is it common to express your opinion. How organized is the business plan. What is the company doing to make sure they grow in the market. These are important questions. Heck, even ask the secretary how her day is going and why she likes the company. Do a Google search to see what employees are saying. It can be valuable stuff.

Advice I’ll keep in mind as I continue my search for the perfect job… or at least the one that’s not ruled by a demon. ;-)

05.27.06

tips & reasons to update your resume

Posted in Career at 5:50 am by Paloma Cruz

From Bloggeropoly:

  1. You remember the projects you’re working on and why they are important to your career
  2. You update your work history based upon your new goals
  3. You keep it fresh looking with revised sentences, and maybe even a new design
  4. You know the hot phrases to put in
  5. If online, and yes!! do this, it will attract the bots and maybe even a few on-the-side job offers
  6. Your skill sets change
  7. It helps you reflect on where you are, how you got there, and where you want to go

05.26.06

destress with breathing

Posted in Health at 5:44 am by Paloma Cruz

I’m always looking for ways to relax, to destress. Yoga Bound states that “When you can control your breath, you can control everything.”

De-stressing is not just a bunch of hot air or is it?

The ultimate de-stressing comes with slowing the breath to 1 to 2 breaths per minute, my teacher says. He suggests doing three to five of those extremely slow breaths when you really need to relax and you will feel like a new person. However, on this Saturday afternoon, I can’t even come close to that new person in me. You must practice the skills at night, my teacher says, and then use them during the day. He recommends posting notes throughout the house, near the telephone, on the computer monitor to remind yourself to breathe deeply.

There’s a yoga place near my apartment. Maybe it’s time to take a look at it.

Found via LifeHacker.

05.25.06

tips on getting in and out of an airport

Posted in General at 5:13 am by Paloma Cruz

For those of us who don’t do a lot of travelling, 6 Ways to make airport security painless might actually be helpful. I don’t agree with all of them, but some make sense.

  1. Make a list of everything you are going to take with you on your trip.
  2. Once you have your list in order and you have removed the kitchen sink from it :) it is time to categorize your belongings.
  3. Check as many bags as possible.
  4. The day of your flight schedule yourself one hour earlier than your flight departure.
  5. Purchase you tickets as far in advance as possible.
  6. Have proper identification available and ready to go.

Found via LifeHacker.

05.24.06

the secret to saving, for women

Posted in General at 5:02 am by Paloma Cruz

What’s the secret to saving for women? Start young.

Woman need to tuck away more money than men because they cycle in and out of the workplace more often — and they live longer. So it’s even more important that they start early.

Traps to avoid:

  • Temptation
  • Sporadic savings
  • Longer life expectancies

Tips:

  • Get in the habit of saving.
  • Dangle a carrot.

05.23.06

improve your life via budgeting

Posted in General at 5:58 am by Paloma Cruz

I’m the world’s worst financial manager. I can barely balance my checkbook. I don’t have any rainy day savings. I don’t have any investments. I don’t really believe that putting money aside for tomorrow is good for me.

For those like me, here’s 12 Reasons Budgeting Can Improve Your Life:

  1. A budget is a guide that tells you whether you’re going in the direction you want to be headed in financially.
  2. A budget lets you control your money instead of your money controlling you.
  3. A budget will tell you if you’re living within your means.
  4. A budget can help you meet your savings goals.
  5. Following a realistic budget frees up spare cash so you can use your money on the things that really matter to you instead of frittering it away on things you don’t even remember buying.
  6. A budget helps your entire family focus on common goals.
  7. A budget helps you prepare for emergencies or large or unanticipated expenses that might otherwise knock you for a loop financially.
  8. A budget can improve your marriage.
  9. A budget reveals areas where you’re spending too much money so you can refocus on your most important goals.
  10. A budget can keep you out of debt or help you get out of debt.
  11. A budget actually creates extra money for you to do use on things that matter to you.
  12. A budget helps you sleep better at night because you don’t lie awake worrying about how you’re going to make ends meet.

Found via LifeHacker.

05.22.06

quote of the day: turning me stupid

Posted in Career, Health at 6:43 am by Paloma Cruz

“You can turn a smart person into an idiot just by overworking him”
– Prof. Peter Capelli, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

From Fortune, found via Email Overload.

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