Seth's Blog: The end of the job interview Let’s assert that there are two kinds of jobs you need to fill: The first kind of job is a cog job. A job where you need someone to perform a measurable task and to follow instructions. This can range from stuffing envelopes to performing blood tests. It’s a profitable task if the person is productive, and you need to find a reliable, skilled person to do what you need. The second kind of job requires insight and creativity. If you’re hiring for the first kind of job, exactly why are you sitting a nervous candidate down in your office and asking her to put on some sort of demonstration in her ability to interact with strangers under pressure? Years ago, in order to keep the ethnic balance at Harvard the way some trustees felt was correct, the school created interviews and essays as a not-so-subtle way to weed out the undesirables. And if you’re hiring for the second kind of job, the question becomes even more interesting. So, what should you do instead? Glad you asked!
The Interview Question That's Always Asked (and How to Nail It) Seven steps to remarkable customer service Seven steps to remarkable customer service by Joel Spolsky Monday, February 19, 2007 As a bootstrapped software company, Fog Creek couldn’t afford to hire customer service people for the first couple of years, so Michael and I did it ourselves. Here are seven things we learned about providing remarkable customer service. 1. Almost every tech support problem has two solutions. Sometimes that means adding more intelligence to the software or the SETUP program; by now, our SETUP program is loaded with special case checks. We treat each tech support call like the NTSB treats airliner crashes. This has two implications. One: it’s crucial that tech support have access to the development team. When we handle a tech support incident with a well-qualified person here in New York, chances are that’s the last time we’re ever going to see that particular incident. Somehow, the phone companies and the cable companies and the ISPs just don’t understand this equation. 2. 3. Why? Let me tell you a story.
The 10 Most Common Job Interview Questions The absolute best thing you can do to prepare for a job interview is to practice your answers to the questions you’re most likely to be asked. Saying your answers out loud – over and over – or even writing them down, which might ingrain them more deeply in your brain, will significantly improve how well you perform when you’re sitting in that interview chair. Here are the 10 questions you’re most likely to be asked in a job interview: 1. 2. [See: The 100 Best Jobs] 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. [See: The 8 Best Questions You Could Ask a Job Interviewer.]Still have more time to prepare? What’s most important to you in a new position? [See: The 10 Things You Do That Turn an Interviewer Off.] Remember, rehearse your answers out loud. The more you practice, the better you’ll get and the more comfortable you’ll feel. Alison Green writes the popular Ask a Manager blog where she dispenses advice on career, job search and management issues.
The top 20 IT mistakes to avoid | InfoWorld | Analysis | 2004-11-19 | By Chad Dickerson We all like to think we learn from mistakes, whether our own or others’. So in theory, the more serious bloopers you know about, the less likely you are to be under the bright light of interrogation, explaining how you managed to screw up big-time. That’s why we put out an all-points bulletin to IT managers and vendors everywhere: For the good of humanity, tell us about the gotchas that have gotten you, so others can avoid them. As it turns out, our many contributors to this article had a lot to say -- but precious little to say on record. 1. Mistakes relating to outsourcing could easily fill our top 20 list on their own. The other mistake is to hold on to functions that could easily and effectively be outsourced, such as running your own messaging environment. 2. For better or worse, many IT shops are susceptible to “religious” behavior -- a blind, unyielding devotion to a particular technology or platform. 3.
The 25 most difficult questions If you are one of those executive types unhappy at your present post and embarking on a New Year's resolution to find a new one, here's a helping hand. The job interview is considered to be the most critical aspect of every expedition that brings you face-to- face with the future boss. One must prepare for it with the same tenacity and quickness as one does for a fencing tournament or a chess match. This article has been excerpted from "PARTING COMPANY: How to Survive the Loss of a Job and Find Another Successfully" by William J. Morin is chairman and Cabrera is president of New York-based Drake Beam Morin, nation's major outplacement firm, which has opened offices in Philadelphia. 1. Since this is often the opening question in an interview, be extracareful that you don't run off at the mouth. 2. You should be able to discuss products or services, revenues, reputation, image, goals, problems, management style, people, history and philosophy. Give your answer a positive tone. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Bootstrapper » 52 Creative Ideas for Finding New Clients 52 Creative Ideas for Finding New Clients Sunday, June 19, 2011 at 2:13am by Site Administrator As a bootstrapper, you know that clients equal business. Without them, you’d just be another one-man (or woman) shop with an office trying not to go into debt. Online Tools and Resources Utilize the Internet to connect you to clever tools and resources that will help you find new clients. Make sure your website is in working order: If you hand someone a business card, they probably won’t call you right away, but they will check out your website. For Freelancers Freelancers in search of new clients should check out these job boards, which post resumes, offer tips for finding new gigs and encourage networking throughout the freelancing community. 37signals Gig Board: Clients can search this job board for freelancing help with copywriting, Web design, programming and other techie tasks.Writerlance: This site is "connecting writers with buyers." Marketing Strategies Networking Ideas Guides Get Involved
Career Advice Article: 10 most frequently asked interview questions Interview questions may vary but in essence they are all trying to establish the following: 1. Your skills and experience to do the job 2. If you can answer these questions, using real-life examples to illustrate your points, then you should be able to answer most of the questions that arise including the following frequently asked questions. Tell me about yourself? What are your key skills/strengths? What are your weaknesses? Why did you leave your last job? Why do you want this job? Good match between your skills and their requirements Interested in the product/market/sector Company's excellent reputation, exciting challenge etc. Tell me about a difficult scenario at work and how you dealt with it They are testing how you cope under pressure as well as your problem-solving and communication skills. Tell me about an achievement of which you are proud? What are your career goals? What are your salary expectations? What do you know about our organisation?
Do It Now by Steve Pavlina When going to college many years ago, I decided to challenge myself by setting a goal to see if I could graduate in only three semesters, taking the same classes that people would normally take over a four-year period. This article explains in detail all the time management techniques I used to successfully pull this off. In order to accomplish this goal, I determined I'd have to take 30-40 units per semester, when the average student took 12-15 units. I wasn't considered a gifted child, and this was the first time I had ever done anything like this. It took a lot of convincing to get the computer science department chair to approve my extra units every semester, and my classmates often assumed I was either cheating or that I had a twin or that I was just mentally unstable (I get accused of that last one pretty much every week, so maybe there's some truth to it). I didn't tell you this story to impress you but rather to make you curious as to how I did it. Clarity is key. Be flexible. W.
In this article I learned that not only will you be asked questions about yourself and your career interests but also things pertaining to what you expect from the company. For example, question number 44 ask what do you look for in a boss. by laurenaydelott Mar 7