Author: Sue

JOB HUNTER’S GUIDE TO TIME MANAGEMENT

Sue Blog Posts, Time Management

ACTION PLANTime Management 2

We are in a competitive market and if you want to be effective at job hunting you need to be focused, have a clear understanding of the skills you can provide, the sort of role you are seeking and where to search for it. In other words you need a plan of action. So you can’t start a job search unless you know your own capabilities and what career path you want to adopt.

So what is the first step? You need to sit down and create a list of your goals, values and beliefs, what you want from a career and the skills and experience you can bring to an organization. From this list pick out key factors that will guide you in your job searching and chosen career path.

Once you have established the career path you wish to take then create a list of prospective employers and employment agencies that you could target, taking into consideration location, potential for career opportunities, salary and workplace culture. Job hunting is not just about looking at vacancy listings it is about being proactive and searching for opportunities and establishing a network of people to assist you in your goal. Some job searchers utilise LinkedIn Groups and Twitter, posting their skills and abilities and generally marketing themselves as a further avenue for career planning.

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COMMUNICATION FOR APPLICANTS PART I

Sue Blog Posts, Communication

commCommunication is the most valuable tool we have both within the workplace and in our personal lives. It is the tool by which we tell others how we feel, what our needs are. We use it in every aspect of our daily lives to instruct, to reprimand, to praise. Good communication is a vital aspect of completing a successful interview.

 

VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Speaking is the most commonly used means of communicating in our society – but how often do you think about how you communicate? It is important to remember that how we interpret messages can be affected by our life experiences, educational and cultural aspects, personalities, environment, etc. So be clear and concise when answering questions or marketing your skills and abilities at an interview. If you don’t understand a question, ask for clarification. It is better to ask than make a mistake that could prove costly and result in not being considered for a position

 

Improving Your Speech

There are a number of factors that could prevent you from achieving a successful interview. These include faulty speech habits, glaring mispronunciations, poor voice projection, fractured grammar, poor diction, personal idiosyncrasies in speech pattern, dropped word endings, garbled sounds, the constant use of certain phrases (‘like’ or ‘do you know what I mean’) and the frequent use of Ahs and Ums.

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COMMUNICATION FOR APPLICANTS PART 2

Sue Blog Posts, Communication

BODY LANGUAGE AND ATTITUDE AT INTERVIEWS.

Body Language 1Non-verbal communication takes up 90% of the message you are sending in an Interview. The balance is taken up by verbal communication. This is why the body language (55% of the message you are sending) and attitude/voice tone (38%) you present at an interview is so important. They are important as the words you use at an interview. Here are some handy hints:

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