On the Spot Interviews

There is a sign in the window of a convenience store near my house that says "On the Spot Hiring Every Saturday from 1 pm - 3 pm." It lists the hourly rate of pay and the shifts that are available. What's the best way to get ready if you're going to show up on Saturday afternoon to try to get hired?

First of all, pick up an job application at the store ahead of time, complete it, and bring it with you to the interview. You'll be one step ahead of the other candidates.

Dress neatly and tidily, bring a pen in case there is other paperwork to fill out, bring your resume, if you have one. Be prepared to answer questions about your skills and experience, and when you are available to work.

Applying for a Job

Job Applications
On the Spot Interviews
Sample Job Applications
Wednesday October 24, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)
Interview Manners Matter
Interviews are often stressful - even for job seekers who have interviewed many times. Interviewing can be even more stressful when you are expected to eat and talk at the same time. One of the reasons employers take job candidates out to lunch or dinner is to evaluate their social skills and to see if they can handle themselves gracefully under pressure.

Dining with a prospective employee allows employers to review your communication and interpersonal skills, as well as your table manners, in a more relaxed (for them) environment. Table manners do matter. Good manners may give you the edge over another candidate, so, take some time to brush up your dining etiquette skills.

Job Interview Resources

Interview Guide
Interview Attire
Interview Questions
Interview Thank You Letters
Did Your Boss Catch You Job Searching?
I've heard from more than a couple of job seekers who were in a panic after inadvertently emailing their resume and cover letter to their boss, instead of a prospective employer. The AutoFill tool that automatically enters email addresses in Outlook, Eudora, and other email applications can be dangerous. One solution is to set up a separate email account for job seeking. That way you won't send your applications to the wrong person by mistake.

I know someone else who emailed all her LinkedIn contacts to let them know she was about to start a job search. That message ended up being read by the wrong person - her current boss.

If you have clicked the Send button and realized that you've just made a really big mistake, it's time for damage control. You'll need to act quickly. Here's how to handle it when your boss catches you job searching. In the future, you'll need to job search a little more carefully - some stealth job hunting may be in order.

Related Resources

Caught in the Act!
Confidential Job Searching
LinkedIn and Your Job Search
Neckties are Back in Style
For as long as business casual has been around, it was defined as exactly that - casual clothing appropriate for the workplace, which typically meant khakis and a polo shirt. Men didn't wear ties when they were dressing down.

That's beginning to change and there's a new trend towards ties, especially in the 18 - 34 year old age group. Ties are in, even in a casual setting and even on dress-down days at more formal companies. They aren't your father's ties though. They are skinnier and much more trendy. A New York Times article, After Years of Being Out, The Necktie is In, explains what's in style when it comes to wearing a necktie and why ties are back.

Given that fashion trends change, often quicker than we can keep up with, it makes sense to dress your best when you're going for a job interview.