Global Career Advisors

Category: Job Search

  • How to Prepare for an interview

    How to Prepare for an interview

    How to Prepare for an interview

    If you have a job interview scheduled, then it is crucial to understand that preparing for your interview is critical to ensuring that you get that job. Preparing for interviews takes a lot more than skimming through the most common interview questions on the web. When preparing for an interview, there are various factors to consider to enable you to increase your chances of getting the job.

    Remember, your first impression is important, and interviews are definitely not an exception. To help you adequately prepare for your next interview, we put together a list of some of the best interview preparation tips. These interview preparation tips are useful in ensuring that your interview is a success.

     

    1. Understand the job description: When preparing for an interview, it is vital to go through the job description and requirements. By doing this, it will give you an in-depth understanding of what the company seeks in a candidate. Reviewing the job description provides insight into the skills, qualities, experience, etc. that the company requires of a job candidate. As such, it is essential to critically go through the company’s job posting to enable you to understand how your skills and expertise could be useful to the company.

     

    1. Research is Important: When going for a job interview, it is imperative to have a good understanding of the company and its values. It is not ideal to go for an interview without knowing anything about such a company. It just doesn’t work. Hence, before going for an interview, it is essential to dig up as much information as possible that will help enlighten you about the company. You can do this by visiting the company’s website to learn more about them. Read their past and present press releases and articles about the company, if any. Feel free to check them out on Social Media for more insight on the company’s personality. For further research, you might also want to check in with your network to see if anyone knows anything about the company that could be useful to you. Also, you might want to consider checking the company on Glassdoor to read employee reviews and have a better understanding of the company and its environment.

     

    1. Practice Potential Interview Questions: Before going for an interview, it is essential to go through potential interview questions. This is important because it helps you to rehearse and become familiar with whatever question you might be asked. To do this, you could easily Google some of the most common interview questions, get a notebook, and jot your answers to these questions. When you do that, it is vital to practice your answers thoroughly. You could practice your interview by rehearsing in front of a mirror. You could also get your friend or family to watch your practice and perhaps, throw some questions at you. By doing this, it not only clears your thoughts, but it also makes it easier when you finally get to the job interview. Most importantly, don’t forget to prepare your own ‘smart questions’ to ask the panel during the interview. This shows that you have done your work thoroughly.

     

    1. Pack and Prepare everything you’ll need: When preparing for an interview, it is essential to put your things together beforehand to avoid forgetting anything. This includes getting your interview outfit ready to avoid thinking of what to wear on the day of the interview. When going for interviews, it is crucial to dress accordingly, ensure your outfit is always neat and tidy, and endeavor to look smart. Don’t forget to pack your resume, notebook, a pen, questions you’d like to ask the interviewers, portfolio, and any other item you know you’d need during the interview. Endeavor to pack all these before the day of your interview to avoid leaving anything behind.

     

    1. Don’t forget to follow-up: After your interview, it is essential to follow-up with a thank you note. You could easily do this via phone or email to thank them for their time and the chance given to you to be a part of the interviewees. When following-up, you could subtly state why the interview was important to you and how you could contribute significantly to the organization. This goes a long way to show that you genuinely care about the job and that you appreciate such an opportunity.

     

    Nonetheless, preparing for an interview is vital in ensuring that your interview is a success. Also, preparing for an interview is essential to enable you to get that job and have a higher chance than other candidates. Nonetheless, you can definitely do it. So, go for it!

     

  • Top 5 Resume Mistakes Job Seekers Make

    Top 5 Resume Mistakes Job Seekers Make

    Top 5 Resume Mistakes That Could Cost You Your Dream Job

    In today’s competitive job market, having a standard resume is crucial. This is because your resume could determine whether you get that dream job. However, a mistake that you might overlook could spoil your chances of working at your dream job. Therefore, it is important to avoid these mistakes at all costs.

    In this post, we share the top five mistakes job seekers make in their resumes. These mistakes are:

    • Misspellings and grammatical errors
    • Using wrong or irrelevant keywords
    • Including irrelevant information
    • Writing positions that fail to show what you’ve accomplished
    • Terrible design and/or format

    1. Misspellings and Grammatical Errors

    The first mistake you could make is having misspelled words in your resume and/or grammatical errors. Identifying your error may be hard. As a result, it is important to let a proofreader go through your resume to enable you to identify errors you otherwise wouldn’t have noticed. Remember that first impressions matter; you don’t want a potential hiring company to think that you lack attention to detail. So, avoid any form of error in your resume.

    scrabble game saying the word fail
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    2. Using Wrong or Irrelevant Keywords

    For a company hiring; chances are that you are not the only one whose resume is being reviewed. Hence, it is not uncommon for hiring managers to want to skim through the resumes while identifying certain keywords. Now, if you don’t have the necessary keywords on your resume then, there’s a probability that your resume won’t even be noticed. This is the last thing you’d want to happen especially if you are applying to your dream job!

    3. Including Irrelevant Information

    Another mistake you could make is including information that is irrelevant or obsolete thereby making your resume unnecessarily long. It is ideal to keep your resume short and straight forward while positioning yourself as an industry leader. Try your best to keep your resume within one or two pages. Remember, you aren’t the only one applying for the job. 

    old calendar

    4. Writing Positions that Fail to Show What You’ve Accomplished

    When you add past positions to your resume, one of the things a recruiter wants to see is what you have been able to accomplish while occupying such a position. Here, job descriptions and a list of your duties aren’t enough. You need statements that portray your accomplishments and the value you were able to provide while in that position. 

    5. Terrible Design/Format

    When it comes to resume design, less is more. It is ideal to have a simple and clean resume that makes it easier for the reader to skim through the information. However, when you have a cluttered resume with some terrible designs all over the place, chances are that your resume might end up being discarded. Therefore, it is important to ensure that your resume is easy to read and understand. 

    A single mistake could spoil your chances of working at your dream job. Therefore, you must avoid these mistakes at all costs. When you feel your resume has been perfected, make it a duty to give it to an expert who can go through it and point out your mistakes when necessary. If you need any help with your resume, feel free to contact us at Global Career Advisors.

  • How to Negotiate a Job Offer

    How to Negotiate a Job Offer

    A job offer is not the last leg in a job-hunting process. It’s wrong to assume that when a job offer is given, you are already part of the company. Many things could still happen. It is only when you get to see the details of the job offer that you’ll be able to determine if it’s an offer you should accept. Assuming you’ve read the paper and the hiring manager invites you to proceed and sign the job offer, will you sign it?

    Now, if there are items in the job offer that are not clear, what will you do? Of course, there’s nothing more to do but to negotiate. However, how will you get the nod of the hiring manager during the negotiation? Here are a few tips.

    1. Don’t Negotiation for the Purpose of Negotiating

    Many job hunters today have this in mind. They will try to negotiate because that will make them appear bankable. Well, if you think the job offer suits you, by all means, sign the contract. Most importantly, there is a need for you to read all items with utmost understanding. Do not just read in passing. Be cautious as some of the items included could be tricky. If there is something questionable on your part, ensure you verify it to have a clear understanding and if you know, you deserve more than that, then go ahead and negotiate. 

    2. Wait for the Hiring Manager to give the First Offer

    Think of it as if you own the business. If you want to buy supplies for your business to operate – though you can afford all the expenses, you still ask discounts from your suppliers to be able to save. That also applies when hiring an employee. They offer a salary that is lower than what they can offer. So, never be impressed with the first offer. Even if it sounds very appealing, that could still be stretched.

    3. Ask more than what you’re willing to accept

    Now, think of this as being a business owner selling a product. Let’s assume the product is you, and your service. Of course, your selling price would be in favor of you. Being the seller, you will offer something more than you are expecting in return. You need to do this because there might be some sorts of bargaining that could happen. So, it is crucial to raise your rates a bit higher so that when you meet halfway, you will still receive a salary that is more than what you are expecting.

    4. Don’t focus too much on Salary

    Salary is just a part of the job offer. There are benefits and other non-cash perks. Understand all of them. They may not be able to agree with your asking price, but they will most times be open to adjusting other benefits and perks in your contract. Sometimes, when you focus too much on salary, it could create a negative impression.

    5. Stay Professional and Business-Like

    Never discuss personal matters. Avoid telling the hiring manager that you’re in dire need to have a high paying job to pay for your debts. Avoid creating an impression that you feel hopeless. Those should be set aside. Remember that your interaction with the hiring manager is still shallow. It’s a real turn-off being too personal during a job offer or negotiations.

    6. Make them Feel they Won the Negotiation               

    Never let them feel that it’s their loss if they won’t agree to your requests. At the end of the negotiation, whether it favors you, make them feel that they’re on the winning end. Let them feel that they will get their desired return-on-investment (ROI) by getting you on-board. Elaborate the ROI they can get such as quality work, accuracy, efficiency, and the likes.

    7. Politely Turn Down the Job Offer

    Lastly, politely turn down the offer if you can’t sense that something good will happen. However, do not let them feel it’s their loss. Just establish an atmosphere that maybe there are better options for you. Perhaps, it’s not yet the right time for you to come on-board. Tell them that you’re not closing your doors to enable them reach out to you when they’re able to meet your demands. 

    Nevertheless, it takes a good negotiation skill to be able to turn a job offer into success. However, never assume that it will always be in favor of you. Sometimes, the best thing to do is to walk away first and just come back if things are favorable to both parties.

    Bottom line never compromise your aspirations just to get a job and that is why Global Career Advisors can help you get the desired job offer you might need. We’ve helped various people get a high pay and we know we can help you.

    So, if you’re ready to get your value’s worth, then contact us and let’s help you get that offer you’ve always wanted!

  • Climbing the Corporate Ladder: How To Overcome Your Career Challenges

    Climbing the Corporate Ladder: How To Overcome Your Career Challenges

    Have you ever felt like you’re stuck on the corporate ladder? To climb the corporate ladder can be a daunting task, with many obstacles standing in your way. From acquiring new skills to landing successful projects and new designations, the journey to the top can be a difficult one. So what can you do to overcome the challenges of climbing the corporate ladder? Read on to find out more!

    A person with a career most times has a plan and a purpose that is well laid out on what we metaphorically call “the corporate ladder.’ The rungs of the ladder signify different jobs, new skills acquired, various successful projects, new designations, etc.

    There is no doubt that you might know where you would love to see yourself in your career, but you might not know that at times, climbing up the corporate ladder; it may seem equivalent to climbing Mount Everest.

    Soon, this struggle will get your career to a stagnant point, and you will start feeling demotivated, uninterested, and frustrated.

    What challenges is a person likely to face while climbing the corporate ladder? Most importantly, how do you overcome them?

    Continue Reading!

    1. Identifying your Comfort Zone and Getting Out of It to advance in your career.

    It’s a zone where many tend to spend their most precious years, and the zeal to innovate, grow, and experiment is at the lowest.

    To know when you’re stuck in your comfort zone, here are some telltale signs –

    1. You don’t remember the last time you practiced your trade skills outside work.
    2. You do find ample of time every day to do personal chores during office hours.
    3. Work has become too easy that at times, it seems you are on autopilot mode.
    4. Your network is made up of people you approached but not of people who know or approached you.
    5. You feel you will always have this job.

    If you relate with one or more of these signs, then it’s safe to say you are residing in your comfort zone. In the corporate world, the comfort zone kills. The market is ever-changing, and technology is ever-evolving. There is no job security.

    Hence, it’s important for you to identify your comfort zone and get out of it. Think of your career goals and figure out how much you are working daily to reach those goals.

    2. Making Difficult Decisions

    In the corporate world, one of the major secrets of success is the ability to make difficult decisions. From making administrative decisions to managerial to project-related – you need to show strong grit to prove your worth. Decision-making becomes more important as you climb up the corporate ladder.

    From solving disputes among co-workers, and making choices during the project to taking serious decisions like lay-offs for the company – Now, how do you make the right choice?

    1. Understand the situation without any emotional biases.
    2. Understand the short-term and long-term consequences of your decision.
    3. Instead of having certain fears, critically analyze the situation from every aspect.
    4. Seek advice from others who have made similar decisions, but the final call should be yours. That’s the only way you will learn from the decisions you make.

    3. Maintaining Many Responsibilities at Once

    You need to realize that multi-tasking is an illusion. Only computers have been able to pull it off successfully. Hence, we humans tend to fail at it miserably. So, what’s the way out?

    There are two things you need to understand.

    1. Avoid taking on many tasks. Know your work schedule, know your capabilities, know your skills, and take your tasks accordingly.
    2. At times, the workload at the office is unavoidable. In such cases, prioritize and not multi-task. Concentrate on one work effectively so that you can move on to the next quickly.

    In addition, knowing how to delegate work in a corporate environment is a skill you must learn.

    4. Finding the Popular Work-Life Balance

    A healthy work-life balance to an employee is what elixir is to an alchemist. They both seek it throughout their lives. Some claim to attain it; some refute it to exist at all. While elixir is too hard to attain, the work-life balance isn’t.

    There are certain elements that can help you strike the right balance between your personal and professional life.

    1. Be proactive – If you don’t want your work to mingle with your personal life, it’s your responsibility to be proactive. Fulfill your work and personal responsibilities as soon as possible.
    2. Delegate – If you handle everything by yourself, you will always find yourself running short of time. Delegate your work efficiently from the start so that it never gets you stuck unnecessarily.
    3. Learn to say no – Not every corporate function is important to attend, not every outing invite with your colleagues is necessary to accept. If you learn to say no to unimportant things at work, you will find more time for your personal life.

     

    5. Quantifying the Results of Your Role

    In situations like appraisals, quarterly fiscal evaluations, or even deciding layoffs, the company will inquire about your role and the results you have brought for the company. Not every role can be quantified easily into numbers and facts. The lack of a proper answer that cannot be measured may hamper your career growth.

    You should always keep a proper record of your work. For instance, if you are a project manager, you should keep a record of factors like – project completion timeline, the performance of employees under your leadership, client reviews, etc. This way you would be able to back up your performance with proper data.

    6. Facing Setbacks

    Setbacks are very common to deal with on your way up the corporate ladder. Sometimes, there are just minor setbacks like delays in project submission, the leadership challenge, petty disputes with co-workers, etc. Other times, setbacks can be life-changing and path-altering. Being laid off, losing the project to competitors, or having serious disputes with co-workers.

    When you hit rock bottom, only these things will help you bounce back –

    1. Perspective – Having a positive outlook and seeing every setback as an opportunity to grow will really prevent you from getting off track.
    2. An ever-learning curve – Maintain an ever-learning curve in your professional life so that at any given point in time, you know the best of what is there to know about your trade skill. This way you will never have to struggle to find a job.

    Wrapping Up

    Yes, there is more to the story. There is more depth to the challenges mentioned above and there are other challenges as well. How do you make sure you climb up to the top of the corporate ladder? Well, to enable you to do that, it is important to get professional career guidance. At Global Career Advisors, we can help you ensure that you do not face these challenges hence, helping you become more efficient.

    Download one of the top career coaching books – The 8 Steps To Land Your Dream Job In Any Economy.

  • 8 Steps to Land your Dream Job!

    8 Steps to Land your Dream Job!

    When you start looking for the job of your dreams, you surely haven’t noticed that you’re making those mistakes that most people make.

    The decision-makers are an important objective for your search as the writing of your resume and, of course, your ability to relate to other people.

    Keep reading and know how to do this. SUCCEED!

    You also may be interested In:

    Why Career Counselling is Important for You?

    For more than 20 years, Arthur Gluzman at Global Career Advisors and his team have been working with high-performance professionals with great responsibilities in management to achieve their goals and land those high-income salaries.

    We want you to succeed and show you the importance of receiving the instruction to guide your professional career in the right direction by inviting you to our webinar:

    The 8 Steps to Land Your Dream Job!

    •If you feel stuck in your current position
    •If you don’t feel that all of your skills and experience are being utilized.
    •If your work environment is toxic and counterproductive.

    You will witness our 100% successful program where you will learn:

    • To Boost Your Confidence. Reveal your authentic professional desires as your passions come to light. Uncover your innate Superpowers and identify your tangible & marketable skills.

    • To Take Your Resume to The Next Level. Grab the attention of important decision-makers. Showcase your stellar value, contribution, and problem-solving skills.

    • Ignite Your Social Presence -Refine and Perfect Your Social Platforms. Connect effectively as an expert contributor in your industry and leverage The Business Casual Approach by engineering your profile.

    • To Pin Point Your Job Search Strategy. Identify 3-5 industries that spark your passion and connect with the hiring managers of all 25 ideally suited companies through social media platforms.

    • Network H2H (Human to Human) like a pro. Uncover the best places to network in your industry while knowing how to present yourself as a product. Master how to handle professional information-gathering conversations.

    • Position Yourself to be Seen and Remembered. Reach out to the hiring manager directly through social media and follow up with your tailored Value Proposition Summary. Gone are the days of stale old cover letters.

    • Ace the Interview – Get it Right the First Time. Understand how to communicate your true value clearly and specifically, while aligning your image with the company’s core ideals.

    • Sealing the Deal. Ensure advancement in your career progression while optimizing negotiations on your offer and clearly understanding the fine print

  • Tips for Hiring the Right Career Coach

    Tips for Hiring the Right Career Coach

    A Career Coach is not a spiritual guide, but rather someone who helps you design and implement a career plan to achieve what you want in your professional life…

    business-handshake

    A Career Coach is not a spiritual guide, but rather someone who helps you design and implement a career plan to achieve what you want in your professional life. It is common to get confused when hiring a career coach; to ensure this does not happen, we bring you these 5 tips to keep in mind. Take note, choose the right person and move your career forward.

    One

    Clearly define the kind of help you want. Think about where you are in your career, what you want to achieve and how you would like your career coach to help you achieve your goals.

    Two

    Ask around in your network and community. Without a doubt, asking friends, acquaintances and family is a good idea, but don’t forget to use other resources that are available and within your reach such as coaching associations or advisors within your company or educational institution.

    Three

    Research and compare candidates to make the best choice. Search for example on websites or social network profiles of the career coaches you find. In addition to the price, it is interesting to know which clients they have or in which areas they are more specialized.

    Four

    Search the finalists in two different search engines. The more experience and success a career coach has, the less complicated it is to find information about his/her work. Check that the career coach’s services really has the quality you are seeking.

    Five

    Talk to the career coach directly. Contact the career coach in question and give him or her a brief telephone consultation about your intentions and interest in his or her services. If he or she refuses, it is probably not worth hiring that coach.

    Visit www.globalcareeradvisors.com and Learn more about recruiting, customizing your Jobs Search Strategy and Coaching!