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One of the most important influence moments in your career is the moment where you must convince someone to hire you. Whether you are just out of college, looking for a change, or a contractor who must convince others of your services almost daily, you will find that a set of simple influence skills will propel you through the interviewing process on your way to a successful career.

Assert

It is imperative that you state your objectives clearly. Most organizations are looking for people who take action and will engage in helping the organization move forward. Your organization will first see your potential for such behavior in the hiring stages.

Jay and Mary are both interviewing for a position at an engineering company. Each is highly qualified for the position and holds some great recommendations. As Jay enters the interview, he is asked a series of questions. He ponders each and answers to the best of his ability. When asked, he pulls out his portfolio and demonstrates his skills to the employer. His work is excellent and the employer is notably impressed with it. He is sure to take Jay ’s information and informs him that he will be contacted with their final decision.

Mary ’s interview comes later, and when she enters, she introduces herself and instantly pulls out her portfolio and references. During her presentation, she highlights the portions of her work that seem to fit with what she has seen advertised for the position for which she is applying. When she is finished, she asks the interviewer if there are questions that he has. She ponders each question and answers to the best of her ability.

When the board makes its decision, it is determined that Jay ’s work was excellent, but Mary ’s assertive presentation of her work was what the company needed in order to progress in the competitive engineering market. Mary made good use of her first influence skill.

Ask Questions

Your ability to draw your interviewer in through active questioning is another important influence skill. Open-ended questions gather information and find out what the other person is thinking. Focused questions help the other person to focus on alternatives. These questions promote a greater inclusion of the other person and lead to openness and increased rapport, understanding and commitment.

During Mary ’s presentation, she asks her interviewer, “Is there a specific set of drafts that you would like to see?” Her question prompts the interviewer to indicate that he is most interested in what she has done with mechanical design. Though Mary had intended on showing him other drawings, she realizes by her open-ended questioning that it would be better to focus on what her interviewer is most interested in. She has two sets of drawings in her portfolio and asks the focused question to determine exactly which he would like to choose from.

Summarize

You will want to be sure that you and the other person understand each other. By repeating and summarizing important elements of the influence situation, you will be sure to remain on the same page.

When Mary finishes her presentation, the interviewer asks her, “How do you feel your employment would benefit our organization?” Mary is unsure of the exact response that the interviewer is looking for, so she uses her summarizing skill to clarify the situation. “So what you’re asking me is what will change within the organization when I am hired?”

The interviewer responds, “Yes, I would like to know how you feel your set of skills will make a fit with our organization and its mission statement.” Mary ’s keen use of her influence skills brought out a much more specific question where she could determine precisely what type of answer the interviewer was looking for.

Offer Incentives

Make it easier or more attractive for the person to do what you are asking. This will help you further promote agreement and commitment.

When the interview is finished, Mary is sure to express her feelings to the interviewer. “This interview has shed new light on your organization, and I am enthusiastic to begin my employment with you. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed with your decision. I plan to immediately put into action the skills that we discussed and help the company move forward in its objectives.” Mary ’s statement offers concrete rewards that the company will receive by hiring her.

The influence skills listed are only a few of the skills that you can develop which will help you progress in your career. They can be applied in a variety of circumstances; and when used effectively, they can achieve outstanding results for your career development.

Alan Vengel is a consultant in management training and organizational development and author of The Influence Edge - How to Persuade Others to Help You Achieve Your Goals. He offers cutting edge training and skill building workshops on influence and negotiation. http://www.vengelconsulting

How To Create a Resume that Gets Results

An effective resume is one that gets results. The purpose of a resume is to obtain an interview and ultimately to get the job or internship. All the effort spent on writing a good resume is worth it and the tips below will help you write a resume that gets results.

Be selective in the information you share on a resume and include only the details that are relevant to the employer and the position. Be concise and succinct in all descriptions and avoid the use pronouns and articles (a, an, the) whenever possible. Take a look at this resume template for ideas on what to include on your resume.

Difficulty: Average Time Required: 1 - 3 Hours Here’s How:

1. Formatting for results.

The formatting of a resume is very important and provides the necessary information in a logical, easy to read sequence. The use of underlines, italics, bold, and all caps can guide the employer through the resume with ease. Consistency is key when developing a resume and helps make the information on the resume simple for employers to read.

2. Start by including your personal information.

The employer wants to know your name, address, phone number, and email address on the top of the first page of your resume. Personal information such as marital status, age, religion, political affiliation are not included on a resume and are illegal questions for employers to ask.

3. Including an Objective or Summary of Qualifications is optional.

An objective (optional) can immediately help identify the position to which you are applying. A Summary of Qualifications (optional) can offer a list of your skills and accomplishments right at the very beginning of your resume. You can also include why you are writing in the cover letter if the employer asks for one.

4. Marketing yourself.

Be sure to first list the most relevant experiences related to the internship or job to which you are applying. You may entitle this section Relevant Experience, Business Experience, Leadership Experience, etc.

Maintain consistency in your resume by presenting your information in a logical consistent format utilizing boldface, italics, and capital letters to emphasize headings and important pieces of information. Avoid using several different type sets within the resume.

5. Use Action Verbs to describe your responsibilities & accomplishments.

Creating effective verb statements highlighting your skills and accomplishments will make your resume strong and create a favorable impression with employers. By including only relevant information with just enough detail to demonstrate your skills, you will be illustrating your attention to details along with your ability to communicate and organize your thoughts.

6. Include all relevant Education, Honors, Degrees, & Certifications.

When applying for internships Education, Honors, and Awards will usually go at the beginning of the resume and will move to the end once you have developed some professional experience. As a student, Education will be the first major category (after Objective or Summary if you include one), since student is your most recent full-time role.

7. Maintain white space.

Try to keep margins to 1″ all around the edges of the resume and include some spacing within the resume to give it a fresh, professional look. You want to create a resume that’s easy to skim.

8. Prepare several resumes.

Be prepared to change your resume based on the position in which you are applying. You may choose to change the information provided or you may just change the order in which you present the information.

9. Focus on the qualifications of the position and the needs of the employer.

Each resume should be the result of researching the employer and reviewing the position description if possible. Be sure to include certifications, achievements, volunteer, internship, employment experiences as well as any special skills such as computer, foreign language, music, art, etc.

10. Try to keep it to one page.

For internships and entry level positions, one page is sufficient. One you have been in the workforce for ten years or more or if you have had extensive lab experiences or publications, two pages may be required. Be sure to put your name and page 2 at the top of the second page of the resume. Do not staple and avoid folding if possible. Use laser bond paper and you may select a matching #10 envelope or large 9″ x 12″ envelope.

11. Review the overall format and how the resume appears visually.

Once you have included all the information and have checked for consistency and formatting, take a good look at how the resume looks and if it is professional. The overall look and appeal of the resume will provide the employer with a lasting first impression of you as an applicant.

12. Proofread.

This is the time you will want to be a perfectionist. There is no room for grammatical and/or spelling errors in a resume. Set it down and come back to it, have someone critique it, do whatever is necessary to ensure that your document is absolutely perfect. You will not get a second chance to create a good impression if you send out a resume that includes errors.

13. Congratulate yourself.

Congratulations! You have prepared a resume you can be proud of. Every couple of years you will probably need to update the information on your resume; but the hard work is behind you.

What You Need:

* Resume Paper
* Matching or 9″ x 12″ Envelope

Article by Penny Loretto at About.com

All new job seekers have plenty of questions about the job interview. Almost intuitively they know their success or lack of it in the interview can make the difference in them getting the job. Sadly, this fear of success keeps many job seekers from doing their best. Here, are a few job interview tips to help make sure this does not happen to you:

1. Research the company. Spending some time to learn some basic facts about the company will do wonders for your confidence level. It provides you with some information you can share with your interviewer and will help to get you to start focusing on the company than rather your “fear”. This is a good proactive step in helping you look forward to further interview preparation.

2. Practice and refine your answers to interview questions. Simply thinking about and practicing interviews before the event will make the real thing much easier. As you practice answering interview questions, you will start to see where you can improve your answers and will gradually come to a point where your scripted answers will become natural. This will be a great tipping point because you will begin to actually look forward to the interview to be able to show off all you have learned and done. This will be similar to the feeling you had when you took a test where you were way over-prepared for it.

3. Dress for success and have a backup plan. This means make sure you have a good conservative suit or pants suit that will not detract from your candidacy. If you do not have a suit, go ahead and buy one as you will end up needing it for other purposes and most business professionals should have at least 2 to 3 suits anyway. Also, bring along an extra suit and clothes just in case and leave it in your car. This will give you some additional peace of mind knowing that you have a backup suit just in case your coat rips or you spill some coffee on your shirt.

4. Follow-up with the company after the interview. Send those thank you cards and follow-up with the company every 4 or 5 business days after the interview. The thank you cards can be used as an opportunity to showcase your talents one last time or help address any concerns they may have about your candidacy. Do not neglect this step as it could mean the difference in you getting to the next round or getting the boot.

These job interview tips are a good starting point towards success in your next job interview. However, to get the maximum benefits from these tips, you will need more specific Job Interview Tips. To get more tips like the ones in this article, please click on http://www.interviewquestionsandanswers.org

While career setbacks are often unavoidable, they are not insurmountable or irreparable: with a good mix of planning, networking and optimism, you can find yourself a new position or find a way to circumvent obstacles to growth in your current role.


In order to regain your momentum (and earning potential), you will need to think strategically and assess your situation objectively. Below, we outline some things you should think about if you are currently facing employment problems, or just want to be prepared.

UNDERSTAND YOUR SKILLS

The first crucial step when planning a career change or pursuing new employment is to take stock of what you know and what weaknesses you have. For example, if you are a great analyst but a poor communicator, then look for a role where you can utilize your analytical skills but won’t have to give many presentations. At the same time, if you know your presentation and writing skills need work, start looking for opportunities to speak more. Informal meet-ups of peers and professional organization events are both great ways to build your speaking skills (and network).

We all have areas that we excel in and those that, despite training and experience, we still struggle with. Understanding both sides of your skill set lets you focus your efforts on roles where you will achieve the best results.

GET TALKING

Perhaps the most important and most poorly utilized asset any professional has is their network. When you are looking for a change or need new employment, it’s the people you know that will be your best source of insight and leads. If you think about your relationships friends, family, and colleagues and make the effort to touch base with them, you will be amazed how many new opportunities can appear. Of course, this assumes that you have remained in contact and have been a resource to them in the past (whether personal or professional).

Many times, our pride stops us from asking for an introduction or a recommendation, but the truth is that the people around you want to help you. Not only will it make them feel good to lend a hand, but its also good business: while you may be in need now; who can say when the positions may be reversed? By helping you out now, they strengthen their own network and create new possibilities for their own advancement. It’s a win-win situation.

BE AWARE

Even the most conservative industries experience change: maybe it’s a tool that streamlines processes and makes people redundant, or, a new initiative that brings specialized-skills into demand. Either way, there will be winners and losers from the changes.

The trick to being a winner is knowing what’s coming. Of course, you are not psychic and often company decisions are opaque; but you should always be looking for information about your industry, company, and clients:

1. Perhaps you’ve noticed that more and more customer service is being shipped offshore?

2. Perhaps a previously non-critical business division is suddenly a major revenue generator?

3. Perhaps one of your peers has been recruited by another firm due to skills and experience you also possess?

4. Perhaps a client is looking for additional services that your company provides, but no one has put together a clean proposal to capture the additional business?

These are just some of the scenarios that occur in every industry. If you are paying attention, you may be able to capitalize on any of them.

1. If off-shoring is occurring, look for the niches that are less transferable or start preparing for a job search.

2. If a division is getting mentioned more, see if you can work on a joint project that will gain you visibility or see if they could use your skill set.

3. If you have transferable skills and experience, then why not look at other industries. Getting outside your comfort zone can offer a huge benefit especially, if your skills are in short supply in a younger industry (or an older one experiencing a shift).

4. Don’t assume someone else will make the pitch. Maybe you aren’t the one to close the deal, but if you put the idea in front of the client you can gain a new contact and pickup some recognition for ‘going beyond the call of duty’. Taking initiative is crucial to your success.

CONCLUSION

Your job might depend on a company, but your career is your responsibility. Hopefully, you will take some of the ideas discussed above and incorporate them into your career strategy. If you are in a dead-end job, then now is the time to take stock and find a way out. If you are currently looking for a job, then make sure you are searching efficiently and looking at the right opportunities.

Either way, you will need to keep your eyes on your skills, your voice in conversations, and your ear to the ground.

Good luck.

Diversified Recruitment, Inc. (DRI) is an online resource for MBAs and other professionals. The Staff Writers have created a collection of hundreds of articles on a wide range of business and career topics. Visit www.dricareers.com for more great articles.

Ideally, the mutually-accepted final salary structure will be the outcome of a successful interview process. However, your expectations must be realistic. A little research on deciding upon the expected salary will be helpful.

A realistic assessment should be done to calculate your worth as an employee, which should be tested against the present market or industry standards. Several factors such as type of industry, kind of work, geographic location, supply and demand, or simply the growing need for a professional workforce in a specific industry play an important part in salary considerations.

After preparing yourself in these areas, it will be helpful to follow a three-point formula for the actual salary negotiations during the interview.

Never Be the First to Bring Up the Topic of Salary

Do not rush to bring up the matter of salary in your interview. First, let the employer decide whether you are suitable for the position. Eventually, the topic will come up in the interview - but avoid starting it if possible.

You will blow your credibility if you start the discussion by asking for a particular figure. This gives the impression that salary is your major consideration in applying for the job.

Just as in a card game, it is always best to hold your trump card until it’s time to play it. Announcing your anticipated salary early in an interview may very well eliminate your chances of getting the job, especially if the figure turns out to be too high. If you have set your limit low, it eliminates the opportunity of getting a higher figure if the employer is already thinking of one.

Therefore, it is best not to include salary expectations in your resume unless salary has been specified in the job-opening announcement.

Do Your Homework

Some research is needed before you go on the interview. Explore details such as average salary for that position in the job market, and evaluate your experience, expertise and educational qualifications. Other factors to take into account are the reputation of the company, the hierarchical status of the position offered, and the geographic location.

The perks that come with the salary, if any, should also be considered. Feedback from friends working in that company or colleagues working in the same industry is helpful in getting such details.

Don’t overlook websites that deal with employment and job opportunities.

Do Not Jump At the First Salary Offered

Don’t grab the first offer instantly. Take time, a couple of days perhaps, to consider the offer. Consider some hitches that might go unnoticed. Review the offer; consider all the possible aspects as well as your chances of getting ahead in the position before accepting it.

If you find it doesn’t meet your expectations, let the employer know the salary you anticipate and justify it by pointing out the requirements of the position and your experience and expertise for earning it.

This may not always result in getting you your asking salary; it’s entirely likely that you may need to negotiate and come down a bit. Even if that happens, you will come into the position with your own self-worth established.

Like marketing, successful closing is important in an interview. If you are marketing your worth in an interview, make sure to successfully close the deal and negotiate your salary.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions - Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

Branding Your Resume - Three Tips to Brand Your Resume the Right Way

Have you heard all the buzz about branding yourself? Are you wondering how to make sure your resume is reflecting your brand? Here are three quick tips to brand your resume so it really reflects you at your very best.

Tip Number One: Understand Your Brand

What is your brand? I believe your brand is simply the promise of an experience that a company will have by hiring you. That promise shows itself through the tone and content of your resume - which your reader garners their impressions of you from.

Tip Number Two: Define Your Brand

A couple ways to define your unique brand is first to think about what you are doing when you are at your best. Brainstorm on keywords and phrases. You are going to want these in your resume!

Another powerful technique is to ask three different people (let’s say your spouse, your co-worker and a friend) to describe you using only three words. As them to be boldly honest and say the first three words that come into their mind!

Tip Number Three: Sell Your Brand

Your brand should weave throughout your resume in words and phrases that best reflect you “doing what you love.” Are you struggling with what information to include in your resume? If you are having trouble with a particular area, just compare it to your branding statements. Does it illustrate you in action using your branding keywords? Is it an important component to the position you are seeking? If the answer is no, delete it!

As you build your brand here’s one additional tip: always track your accomplishments. It’s really hard to go back and remember the goals you’ve reached and the challenges you have overcome, especially if it’s been over a twelve month span of time. Make an effort to track your accomplishments as they occur.

Follow these three tips and you will be on your way to a crystal clear, compelling and unique brand.

Would you like to learn how to quickly and easily get more interviews, shorten your job search and increase your salary? Check out my website: http://www.maryelizabethbradford.com, for free articles, free resources and to sign up for my free audio mini-seminar “5 Simple Steps To Find, Focus On and WIN Your Dream Job - Starting Today!” Career marketing expert and nationally certified advanced resume writer Mary Elizabeth Bradford is “The Career Artisan.”

In this ever-growing competitive job market, applicants need every competitive advantage to put their resume and or application on employers’ short list. The majority of people are focused on presenting a spectacular resume with impressive details about themselves. The big questions are, does the employer believe it and does the employer know more about them than they know about themselves?

Employers go through a process of elimination. They might not know the applicant personally so the only information they have to go on is what they are presented with in an application, resume and background check. We are in the information age and squeaking by with inaccurate information on a resume or application for employment is not as easy as it use to be. There are two types of information on resumes and applications, which are verifiable and unverifiable information. Verifiable information is information easily accessible like employment dates, previous income and information obtained from background checks. Unverifiable information might be those extra spins one might add to appeal to an employer’s need to be impressed, which can’t be substantiated. If the verifiable information is inaccurate or doesn’t match, how is an employer supposed to believe the accuracy of the unverifiable information? This dilemma is where many good applicants who might have been the perfect candidate might get eliminated.

Since we are in the information age, another dilemma that presents itself is the accuracy of the information that an employer finds. A human originally generated all of the information spinning through the Internet. Humans make mistakes and data entry personnel whether they work for a previous employer, a creditor or the state are not immune to human mistakes. So who is correct? If it doesn’t match, the red flags go up and employers must decide without telling the applicant why.

Like the current trend of people monitoring their credit through credit monitoring services, a new trend of monitoring every aspect of ones personal public information is becoming just as important. Writing a resume and gathering information to include on an application should be the process of getting ones house in order and putting together the pieces of ones life. Most employers prefer honesty and can handle the truth. It is recommended to call previous employers and request employment dates. Employers will typically require a written request by fax or mail with a copy of an I.D. so they can verify the person is who they say they are. When requesting this information it is also recommended to ask the employer to include what reason for leaving they have on record. It is also recommended to repeat this process for educational institutions as well if there is any doubt of accuracy.

Background checks are available to anyone now. In the past they were too pricey for the average person to afford. It is recommended for job seekers to run a background check on themselves to access any public records that may or may not be floating around on them in which a potential employer may find or may not find. Just doing a simple google search isn’t the answer. If discrepancies are found, it is crucial to contact governing agencies of the source to correct them. If there is an extended time period for the correction to take effect, it is recommended to request documentation stating the discrepancy and a definitive course of action by the governing agency.

Knowledge is power and when people gain this knowledge and incorporate it into their resume and or job application it brings them confidence and peace of mind. People who have just had a resume or application in the past may now have a valued document. This value is reinforced by the verifiable information and the unverifiable information gains respect and credibility.

For low cost accurate results, I recommend http://www.trusearchnow.com to start your own personal background check. There’s a world of information there. It’s easy to use and several of the search results are free. You can find long lost friends, discover who is searching for you and much more.

Online Job Hunting Hints By Penelope Trunk

No matter whether the job market is good or bad, the best jobs require talent before you walk in the door you need to know how to use the Internet effectively in your job search. Here are six tips to help you improve your online results:

1. Big job sites cater to applicants who understand the importance of keywords. Only three to five percent of jobseekers find employment through online job sites. In order to be one of this small percentage, you need to tailor your resume to keyword searches. “Sending a resume to a big company’s website is like sending your resume into a black hole,” warns John Sullivan, human resources consultant and professor of management at San Francisco State University. “In a big company, your resume is sorted by an applicant tracking system.”

High-profile companies receive thousands of resumes a month and the tracking system sorts them by skills. Sullivan tells of a study where researchers took a job opening and wrote 100 ‘perfect’ resumes for that opening. Then the researchers added 10 percent more information to the resumes. Of those resumes, only 12 percent were picked up by the tracking system as qualified. This demonstrates that even if you are the perfect candidate, if you submit your resume blindly to a large company, there is almost a 90-percent chance that no human will ever see it.

But you can increase your chances by knowing how to use keywords in your resume. “Recruiters locate individuals based on a certain skill set of the job they are looking to fill,” explains recruiting advisor Matt Millunchick. So try to imagine how someone else would use a search box to find you, and be very specific about your skills.

These rules also remain true if you post your resume to an online database. The mass of resumes on job sites is so unruly that human resources departments are paying people in India $20 an hour to sort through resumes and find the best ones, according to David Hanley, owner of Recruitn.com. So, even in this case, keywords are your best friend.

2. Don’t depend on your resume. The typical resume is linear, which makes people without linear careers look like a mess. The resume highlights work gaps in a negative way and leaves little space for achievements and experiences that did not somehow contribute to corporate life.

“The marketplace is changing and the life experience that informs the work that people do is changing,” says Anne Burdick, information designer and professor at Art Center College of Design. The static linear resume is not an effective way to convey this new experience, so don’t lead with it.

Dana Zemack, a publicist, got an agency job by abandoning the conventional resume: She wrote a letter to the agency about how she had been throwing large, elaborate, chocolate tasting parties and charging admission. Zemack explained that, at first, she publicized the parties to make sure she’d make enough money to pay for the festivities. But then she realized that she had talent as both a party planner and a publicist, so she started planning bigger and bigger parties. “I used my own endeavors as an experiment to see how far I could go as a publicist,” she wrote. On a second page, she listed the publicity she was able to generate for the parties.

It worked. She got the job. Which leads to tip number three:

3. Go local. Smaller companies posting on smaller job sites don’t care whether prospective employees have a resume optimized for computer screening. This is how Zemack found her job.

Another way to go small is to join professional groups on MySpace.com. These are people who will know where jobs are. Also, Millunchick says recruiters search for marketing and technical people through these groups.

4. Focus on the referral. Eighty percent of available jobs are not posted on job boards. But people who work at companies with hiring needs know what positions are available. And employers love referrals, because referral employees have such low turnover.

In fact, many companies pay employees tens of thousands of dollars for a successful referral. Pander to that carrot system by offering yourself up to an employee at one of those companies.

Find people to refer you by looking on sites such as MySpace, Friendster and Linkedin. Do keyword searches to see if your friends of friends have jobs at companies that interest you.

Offline networking works, too. It’s just slower. There’s no keyword search when you walk into a party. But once you’ve made an acquaintance, you can Google the person to find their connections.

5. Stalk your dream job. If you know your dream job but you have no connections, identify a key person to talk to, and use the Internet to get in touch with them: Find an email address, phone number, a conference your target is speaking at. Then ask for an informational interview.

You are far more likely to get a job from an informational interview than from blindly sending resumes. Most people will be flattered by your request and will give you some of their time. Remember, though, that an informational interview is not the time to ask for a job. But often, if you make a good impression, the person will help you get hired.

6. Make your own job. Zemack’s career really took off when she created a job for herself throwing chocolate tasting parties. She is still genuinely touched by each person who turned out for those early parties where she bet her credit rating on herself. And in the end, she discovered something that is not a new rule at all: That believing in yourself and creating avenues for your own success attracts a magnificent network of supporters.

Penelope Trunk writes the Brazen Careerist blog. Her new book, Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success (Warner Business Books, 2007), is available at Amazon.com. E-mail her at penelope@penelopetrunk.com.

6 steps for making your best impression on job interview

Congratulations, your job application has opened the door for an interview.

The interviewer will be looking for clues as to your attitude, skills and experience that match both the job and work environment. Your time together will be limited. How can you prepare to make the most of the opportunity and get invited back?

Step 1: Learn about the company.

Visit the company Web site to get a sense of the vision, values, history and culture. Find out about the company’s products, services, locations and customers. If the company has a public location, stop by and observe how business gets done. Think about how the job that you are seeking helps the company achieve its goals.

Step 2: Know how you fit.

Make a list of the job requirements and qualifications. For each item, jot down your strengths, weaknesses and examples from your prior experience that would demonstrate your ability to perform that function well. Even if a job requirement would be new for you, think of your experience in another area that you could apply to be successful.

Step 3: Decide what to say.

Develop a few points that will help you convey who you are and what you bring to the job. Turn your list of job requirements and related experiences into a series of questions that you answer aloud. Practice until you feel comfortable in responding to questions about your attributes and background. That way, you will be able to focus on what the interviewer is asking, rather than being distracted with worry about your answers.

Step 4: Make a positive impression.

First impressions have a significant impact on interview outcomes. Your words take on different meanings through nonverbal signals appearance, attitude, tone of voice, eye contact, gestures, postureall of which the interviewer uses to interpret the messages that you are trying to convey.

Your demeanor on the outside begins from within. Look forward to the interview; view it as a learning experience, no matter what the outcome. Know your qualifications and have confidence in your ability to do the job. Plan ahead to ensure that you are appropriately attired and groomed, arrive in the parking lot 15 minutes early, and have your resume and other information with you.

During the interview, stay engaged and focused, maintain good eye contact and match your energy level to that of the interviewer. Be calm, courteous, positive and professional. Speak clearly, truthfully and with enthusiasm. Think before you speak, and use examples that will highlight your strengths. Avoid making negative comments or volunteering negative information about yourself or others. Let your personality come through; you want the interviewer to make a hiring decision based on the real you.

Step 5: Ask good questions.

Interviewers also learn about you through the questions that you ask. To prepare in advance, draft a few questions: Where do you see the company going in the next five years? What are the key goals of this department? What do you consider to be the most important aspects of this job?

Use questions selectively and appropriately. As the interview closes, thank the interviewer and ask about the timing and next steps in the screening process.

Step 6: Follow up.

Send a letter within a day of the interview, thanking the interviewer and expressing continued interest in the job. If you do not hear from the company within a reasonable amount of time, make a followup call. In hiring situations with many applicants, an employer may take longer to decide on the right person. Remaining in contact may help to keep you in the running.

Cheryl Moore is executive director of the Workforce Investment Board of Ventura County, which administers federal funds that support eight Job & Career Centers in the county. These centers provide employment assistance, career training and education services to job seekers, and employee recruitment, customized training and business consulting to local employers. For information, call 800-500-7705 or visit http://www.wib.ventura.org/.

Job seekers turn to blogging

A unique approach to the job search that’s showing promise is the blog.

Ask John Lynk on Patriot Drive in Salisbury. The land development project manager has raked in more solid leads to a new career in the two weeks he launched “The Ultimate Job Search” than all the nine months he’s been out of work and job hunted the traditional resume-submission route.

“It definitely has reaped some success,” Lynk says of his Internet site that landed over 300 hits in about 14 days. “I spend a great number of hours on the Internet. I’ve taken inferences and apply to leads I get. It’s a lot of effort and time, but I make contacts and you cut your search in half by having contacts.”

Not even Careerbuilder and Monster.com Web sites have brought Lynk as many prospective opportunities, and a serious job searcher with little to no luck so far could hit pay dirt with the tool trending upward as an out-of-the-box route to landing employment, says Bonnie Burke, a human resources expert. She’s noticed the trend toward self-promotion by prospective employees who are spreading their name, desire to work and skills across the World Wide Web.

Self-promotion through technology is growing more popular, replacing the traditional scouring of classified ads and other listings, then forwarding the typical cover letter and resume by postal or electronic mail.

“I’m seeing people do various things like this to get a job — the market is bizarre. They don’t know what to do,” said Burke, whose Marion Station-based Shore Staffing employment agency matches health care professionals, including nurses and therapists, with employers for both part-time and permanent placement. “I have 25 years in the human resources field– I’ve been a recruiter since the early ’80s — and there is a trend toward creativity in looking for a job.”

Much of the credit in Lynk’s case is owed to his wife, Marly, who trained as a psychologist. “She set up the blog. We told people a little bit about myself: My plight, being out of work nine months,” he said. “I had taken the normal channels, attended job fairs, connected with recruiters. But since the blog started, I’ve been invited to interview for a job next week.” Blogging to work

Lynk stays linked in to job search sites on the Internet, including for-fee Upladders.com that for a $35 payment connects job seekers with employers willing to dole out six-figure salaries, he said.

Months ago, Lynk stumbled upon an interesting opportunity through the employment site Monster. And it was off to Arkansas recently where he touted his 22-year experience. Truth be told, the Phoenix, N.Y., native favored the lifestyle on the Lower Shore and said, ‘Thanks, but no.’

“So many people with experience in housing, construction, are looking for a job because of the construction slump as a whole,” Lynk said. “I had experience with housing residential, commercial and heavy highway, but I didn’t think it was a good fit.”

He’s also interviewed with firms in Pennsylvania, Virginia and New York, but nothing panned out.

Lynk gets another shot to sell his skills on a job interview later this week with a firm he did not want to name. He thinks the blog was the attraction with the employer.

“I’m interviewing Thursday,” he said. “I applied for it two months ago and it’s coming to fruition. I don’t know if the interview is a direct result of the blog, but since the blog started, I’m interviewing.”

Trained professionals in industries tied to the now-slumped housing market are being hit hard by corporate downsizing that factored in his job loss in January at Greenvest, a land development company, Lynk said. Before then, he worked for developer Syntex Homes in Gaithersburg, then was transferred to the Dagsboro office where he worked until a layoff.

“They have gone from 125 employees to two,” he said. “I left there in September 2006. They are not going to put up homes if nobody was buying them.”

Lynk devotes much of his spare time to his 20-month-old son, John Henry Jr., or J.J. And he checks his blog for leads. “I had two, three suggestions regarding factory work in Pennsylvania,” he says. “There’s a gamut of information (in responses.)”

With construction-related jobs running scarce, a blog could be an avenue, said Burke, who has lived on the Shore since 1993. “The market is bizarre. Health care is even kind of whacky, now.”

She also recommends Craig’s List, another alternative site on the Internet, although some sites are difficult to navigate and sometimes less specific about a particular job or skill level, Burke said.

Blogging, though, is a creative approach and alternative use of the Internet, she said.

“I sort of think that’s not a bad idea, making your own blog,” Burke said. “Creativity in looking for a job is a trend, and putting a resume on Careerbuilder and Monster are great ways to start. Then build your own Web site.

“Somebody might pick up that information,” she said.