Body Language in Job Interviews

Is your body language costing you a job? If you want to get hired, it’s very important to pay attention to your body language during an interview! Here are a few tips to help you out:

1. Although your interview technically starts when you first enter the room with the interviewer, you could bump into the interviewer prior to that without knowing. This is why you need to be on your best behavior the moment you step on company property.
2. Receptionists are often asked their opinions of people who just came in. Make sure you give a good impression from the beginning. Greet the receptionist, introduce yourself, then take a seat and wait for the interviewer to come in.
3. Once your name is called out, shake your interviewer’s hand confidently. Don’t be overly aggressive with your handshake and don’t take away your hand away immediately.
4. When you’re asked to sit again, make sure to sit up straight and keep your chest area open. This sends a signal that you’re open to communication.
5. When talking and answering the interviewer’s questions, maintain eye contact and try not to move your hands all the time. Instead, show that you’re focused, calm, and confident.
6. Once you’re done with the interview, stand up smoothly, smile, thank the interviewer for his or her time, and then wait for the interviewer to show you the way out.
7. On your way out, don’t forget to thank the people who guided you to the interview room or helped you in any way, such as the receptionist.
8. Once the face-to-face interview is over, it is customary to follow up by sending a brief, polite, “thank you” email to the person who interviewed you.

Job Search Tips & Strategies

Finding a job is more than just trial and error! If you would like to finally get a job that you love, one that’s a good fit for your skills and personality, follow these tips before you start scheduling interviews:

1.  Prepare or update your resume.  This will remind you of your skill base.

2.  Find your niche by asking yourself the following questions:

• Where do I want to work? Determine your target location.
• What industry interests me the most?
• What company profiles am I looking for?
• Where do I want to be in a few years?
• What are my salary expectations?

Also check how the job market is doing; see what type of companies are hiring, which industries are booming, etc. You might want to identify your target industry’s key players as well.

     3.  Use your networking skills & start applying.

• Utilize job alerts. Subscribe to the news feed of companies you want to work for.
• Use social media sites such as LinkedIn, facebook, Twitter, or even company blogs to connect to recruiters or hiring managers.
• Sign up on job boards and check them every week to see what’s new.
• Ask people within your social circle (friends and friends of friends) if they know of any openings in the companies you’re researching.
• Contact your University’s career center.
• Call up a local or international recruitment agency.

[Search Path Arabia is an international recruitment agency. Share your career goals with us at: marketing@searchpatharabia.com ]

Job Interview Tips for Fresh Graduates

As soon as a potential employer calls for an interview, most new graduates immediately search the Internet for tips on how to perform well at a job interview. Instead, we’ve done the searching for you and compiled a list of tips that could potentially save you hours of online research.

First Things First.

You need to be aware that the marketplace is very competitive. Even though you may be a new graduate, it doesn’t mean the interviewer will overlook it if you were unprepared for the interview.

Before the Interview.

Do your homework! Make sure you know your resume well. Do not make things up, such as responsibilities you didn’t have or projects you didn’t do. Also do not exaggerate about what you have done.

If you’ve updated your resume recently, make sure you have several fresh copies with you.

If you are contacted for an interview, it means that you’re a potential fit for the job. Research the company well and review the job description. Know the list of responsibilities you might assume as well as the skills required for the position.

Be Professional.

In an interview, you need to dress, look, and speak professionally. Wearing a t-shirt and jeans to an interview is a big NO. Invest a little bit of time to put together a dark-colored business suit (for men) and a jacket and matching pants or knee-length skirt (for ladies). Make sure you feel comfortable in what you’re wearing.

Next – the shoes. Make sure you don’t wear sneakers, tennis shoes, sandals, or any open-toed shoes. A pair of well-polished leather shoes or heels will do.

Ladies – this is for you.

Although the interview is a formal meeting, you don’t need to over-accessorize. Also do not wear a lot of makeup, giving the impression that you were going to a party and got lost on the way…

That’s about all for the interview dress code.

During the Interview – Body Posture Tips

• Start your interview by greeting the interviewer with a smile and a firm handshake.
• Make sure you maintain eye contact at all times.
• Do not squirm around in your chair or fiddle with your fingers.
• If you’ve missed something the interviewer said, do not stare blankly! Ask the interviewer to repeat it.

During the interview – Responding to Questions

• Know the, “Tell me about yourself” part really well. It is a classic, frequently-used interview opener.
• When asked follow-up questions, do not answer with short sentences. Try to elaborate by giving examples. This is what the interviewer wants to hear.
• Do not beat around the bush. Giving an introductory sentence is okay, but don’t wander off to another topic.
• Do not be self-centric when responding to questions. Give the interviewer an idea of how you would be able to contribute to the company rather than just promoting yourself.
• You’ll often get the question, “Do you have any questions for us?” Have at least a question or two in mind. It shows interest in the company and what it has to offer.

After the interview – What’s next?

Finally, thank the interviewer for his/her time. Also thank the receptionist or anyone who assisted you. You could even send a small thank you note by email.

This list of tips is not comprehensive; however we regularly post articles about job interviews. Stay tuned!

Resuming Writing Tips for Fresh Graduates

So, you’ve just graduated out of college and you’re worried about what to put on your resume. Guess what? We’ve compiled a list of tips to help you out! Within an hour to two, you can put together a well-written resume. Be confident that you can stand out even if you do not have any previous employment experience.

First, make sure you put your full name, address, phone number (mobile & home number would be great) and email address that you regularly check. Double check these credentials because you might sometimes miss a letter or type in a 1 instead of a 2.

Next, write your objective. Do not be afraid to write an objective. We’re not asking you to narrow it down all the way to “Marketing Coordinator within a multi-national FMCG firm based in UAE.” Just show the potential employers that you have a sense of direction of where you want to be. Indicate your field of interest and your target entry-level position title or responsibilities.

Once you’re done with your objective, move on to your education. When writing your education details, do not forget to mention (clearly) your University name, years at University, major and concentration (if applicable). That’s not all. You need to also mention the relevant courses that match your objective along with a few key projects you might have done within your field of interest. Be ready to discuss these if asked about them in an interview!

Internships come next. Internships indicate that you took initiative and weren’t afraid to tap into real-life work experience. Jot down what you have learned from this experience and what you’ve achieved. You could also add relevant skills acquired.

In addition to the three listed resume parts, you might want to include a section for your volunteer work experience or one for personal information (hobbies and interests). This gives a sense of your character and personality.

Moreover, you could also choose to add a few references (ex: a professor at the University, your previous Manager at your internship company). Do make sure that these people are aware you’re giving in their details.

Finally, as a fresh graduate, you need to keep your resume length limited to one page to one page and a half as a maximum.

This is about it, college graduates! Take an hour or two to think about your resume and make sure to double check the CV’s spelling and punctuation.

We regularly post resume writing tips. Come back soon!

For more information, contact us at: marketing@searchpatharabia.com.