Career

Profile
Mr. Nazeer Ahmed Shaikh

23 Years
03458998006
nazir.shaikh110@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/nazeer.shaikh
MBA Finance-[2011] SISTECH Sukkur.

(Affiliated With University of Sindh Jamshoro)
Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 1

The sole purpose of this guide is to enhance your knowledge regarding to
various issues you faces before and after getting job, sometimes it become
very difficult for us to understand the issues we are facing regarding to jobs.
I have highlighted some ways to overcome those issues and get your desire
goal. The data present here is not composed by me, it is collected data from
varies sites and I have just organized it in a proper order for better
understanding. I hope you will get most of it and remember me in your
prayers.
Thank You.

Table of Contents:
BEFORE INTERVIEW AND JOB:
1. JOB HUNTING TIPS

2. LOOKING FOR A JOB? AVOID THESE COMMON MISTAKES
3. CURRENTLY DOING MBA: SUGGEST ME THE BEST OPTION FOR SPECIALIZATION:
4. ARE THERE NO JOBS FOR FRESH GRADUATES IN THE MARKET?
5. APPLYING FOR JOBS, AND NO SUCCESSES?
6. WHICH CAREER PATH SHOULD I PICK FROM A MULTITUDE OF CHOICES?
INTERVIEW, CV AND JOB TIPS:
1. MAKE IMPRESSIVE CV.

2. 12 THINGS YOUR CV SHOULD HAVE.
3. 12 THINGS YOUR CV SHOULD NOT HAVE.
4. SORT OUT YOUR CV/RESUME IN 10 EASY STEPS.
5. CREATE A LASTING IMPRESSION WITH YOUR COVER LETTER.
6. HOW TO GO ABOUT DOING A BACKGROUND CHECK ON A PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYER BEFORE GOING
FOR A JOB INTERVIEW?
7. HOW CAN I SEARCH, ADD AND MANAGE REFERENCES IN MY RESUME?
8. 50 COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
9. WHAT TO AVOID DURING A JOB INTERVIEW?
10. DRESSING RIGHT FOR THE INTERVIEW.
11. EFFECTIVE JOB INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES .
12. INTERVIEW RELATED QUESTIONS.
13. HEADING FOR AN INTERVIEW? IS YOUR “FIRST IMPRESSION , THE LAST”?
14. HOW TO MASTER TRICKY INTERVIEW QUESTIONS? BELL THE CAT! (PART II).
15. WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE ANSWER TO THE “WHY SHOULD WE HIRE YOU” QUESTION POSED BY
THE EMPLOYER?
16. AVOID JOB INTERVIEW STRESS.
17. HOW MUCH SALARY SHOULD I DEMAND IN AN INTERVIEW?
18. HOW DO I EXPLAIN WHY I LEFT MY LAST JOB?
19. HOW DO I DEFINE MYSELF EFFECTIVELY IN “THREE WORDS ?”
20. APPLYING FOR A HR POSITION: WHICH QUESTIONS TO EXPECT IN THE INTERVIEW?

ON GOING JOB TIPS:
1. WHAT QUALITIES SHOULD I POSSESS TO BECOME A GOOD MANAGER?

2. SOFT SKILLS: YOU’RE WAY UP THE PROFESSIONAL LADDER.
3. SHOULD I ASK FOR AN INCREMENT THAT WAS PROMISED TO ME AT THE TIME OF HIRING OR
SHOULD I REMAIN SILENT?
4. SHOULD I ACCEPT A LOW SALARY OFFER OR WAIT FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY?
5. MY TEAM MEMBERS DO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND I HAVE TO FINISH THEIR JOBS FOR THEM.
WHAT SHOULD I DO?
6. MY NEW MANAGER IS RUDE AND HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR ME TO CONTINUE WORKING IN
THE COMPANY. SHOULD I LEAVE?
7. MY NEW MANAGER IS NOT FLEXIBLE ON TIMINGS . WHAT SHOULD I DO?
8. MY HARD WORK IS NOT BEING REWARDED, WHAT SHOULD I DO?
9. MY BOSS THINKS I AM INCOMPETENT, WHAT SHOULD I DO?
10. MY BOSS IS TAKING CREDIT FOR MY WORK. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
11. LACK OF CONFIDENCE & POSITIVE ATTITUDE: HOW CAN I GET BACK ON CAREER TRACK?
12. IS FINDING A GOOD JOB A MATTER OF LUCK?
13. I WANT TO GO BACK TO MY PREVIOUS EMPLOYER . WHAT PROCEDURE SHOULD I FOLLOW?
14. HOW TO RESIGN GRACEFULLY, SO THAT I CAN RETURN AT ANOTHER TIME?
15. HOW TO DEAL WITH DIFFICULT COLLEAGUES WHEN MY APPRAISAL IS AT STAKE?
16. HOW TO DEAL WITH AN ABUSIVE EMPLOYER?
17. HOW CAN I ENHANCE MY COMPUTER SKILLS WHILE I AM AT WORK?
18. HOW CAN I BE A PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEE WHEN I HAVE NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE?
19. DISSATISFIED WITH THE CURRENT EMPLOYMENT : WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO SWITCH?
20. ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE MOVING ON TO BETTER JOBS. SHOULD I TRY TO FIND ANOTHER JOB
AS WELL?
21. I AM NOT BEING PAID WELL AND GETTING NO INTERVIEW CALLS. IS THERE A SOLUTION?

BEFORE INTERVIEW AND JOB
Job Hunting Tips

Answer: Money is the most sensitive issue in the whole hiring process. Discussing the compensation often
causes anxiety on both employee and employer.
Research: Before the interview process begins, contact the professional organization that represents your
field of career. As soon as they provide you with your salary information, you can now examine your
monthly cash requirements. Remember that once your taxes are added to your pay check, approximately
30% of your gross monthly salary is deducted.
Determine your skills: You should understand that different segments of the economy require a variety of
skills depending on the industry setting. Once you have established what your skills are and what they are
worth to the current employment market, you would know the limitations of your negotiation.
Have a positive attitude: In negotiating, never compete. Negotiation is basically a process which could
benefit both parties. Understand your needs and those of the company.
Weigh the company's compensation package: To determine your fair market value for a specific job,
you should consider the economic, geographic, and industry factors of the job offer. Weigh the benefits of
compensation and promotions, insurance, allowed time off and retirement settlements of the offer to ensure
a fair proposed salary.
Sell yourself: If you know what you could offer the company requires a larger income, never say it directly.
Once you sell yourself discreetly, the interviewer would understand that the proposed salary is not
appropriate for your background.
The final offer: Be aware when the negotiation is done. Pushing further when a deal has been set could
give a negative first impression on your part.
Show what you are made of: The interview is only the first step in having an enhanced compensation.
Once you are hired, offer your skills to the company and prove your worth by doing quality work. You may
even get a promotion for doing so.

Looking For A Job? Avoid These
Common Mistakes
Answer: When you start your job hunt you are filled with enthusiasm and hope for a bright future. However,
as the hunt progresses your optimism gets lower with every rejection you have to face. Ever wonder why
you are not getting the job that you are perfect for and have all the relevant credentials?
The reason is simple: You are committing some basic job search mistakes without even being aware of the
fact that you are doing something wrong. Even the most experience people, who have searched for jobs
time and again and even found one, are committing these common mistakes which can eventually lead to
failure on all accounts.
Make sure that you are not committing any of the job hunt mistakes mentioned below and if you are its time
to stop.
Limited Research:
The most common mistake by all job hunters is that they look for jobs in selected few industries and that
too from a single platform. You need to widen your circle and look into all industries which can possibly
cater to your profession. There are so many job titles nowadays that there is no saying who can enter a
company and who can‟t. You need to keep an eye on all the job openings and apply to any job that is
relevant to your education and experience. Applying to one or two jobs a month‟s is not sufficient in the
current job market.
Standardized Resume:
A large majority of the job seekers make this fatal mistake and have to learn sooner than later that
standardized resumes don‟t work. You cannot make one resume and apply to a dozen jobs by sending the
same resume. It is important that you alter each resume and customize it according to the job
specifications.
Employers don‟t pass as much as a second glance at these resumes which are not specific to the jobs.
Focus on the objective part of the resume and write related sentences which make your resume attractive
for a specific job.
No Research on Potential Employers:

When the job seeker gets an interview call from a prospective employer, he prepares for all the questions
that are asked by the employers but often neglect to research the history of the prospective employer. This
is a big mistake as all employers will ask what you know about their company. Admitting ignorance in this
regard, points towards a lack of effort and preparation at your end. You need not know everything about the
employer but you can get the basic information by simply logging on to the company website and reading
about their history and their profile. This little effort will help you tremendously during the interview.
Wasting Valuable Time:

When you are looking for a job you can often end up spending months in the pursuit of the perfect job.
Meanwhile you end up wasting a lot of time which will be difficult to explain if the employers asks you about
your activities when you were not employed. Make sure that you employ this time in improving your skills,
studying additional courses or attending workshops so that you can show the employer that you value time
and are proactive in life.
No Long Term Goals:
Not having a long term goal is a very important mistake as you will apply to random jobs and end up not
getting a response from any of them. When you have a long term career related goal you can focus on the
specific jobs that are good for your career and apply to those only.
Focused on salary alone:

When you are focused on salary only, you end up showing it to the employer. An employer wants to see
willingness to work and passion rather than the need to get a high salary. So change your priorities now
and see the difference it can make in your life.

Currently Doing MBA: Suggest Me The
Best Option For Specialization.
Question: I am doing my MBA and have not yet finalized any subjects for specialization. I would like to
suggest to me the best field that I should opt for as per current circumstances in Pakistan. The choices I
have are Finance, Marketing, MIS, Management and HRM. Previously, I have done BSc with Maths and
Physics. I would really appreciate your help.
Answer: Choosing a specialization in not only your MBA but every educational field is a very important
decision. It should not be based on one thing but a couple of factors combined. Some of them can be
stated as follows:
1. Your previous educational qualification – If your previous education background supports your
current major then it not only is easier for you as a student to do well in the subject but it also builds
up your credibility in the particular subject. This can reflect well on your resume at any time.
2. Your own skill set – Many people in Pakistan fail to recognize the skill set that they best possess.
It is very important to know what you are good at and go ahead with it. Someone who is a good at
managing people will do well as a HR person and someone who has a good mathematics and
logistics head can further develop his skills through financial studies. One must always explore
their skill set and make a good combination by supporting it further by specialized education.
3. Market Trends – It is not right to just pick up a market trend and base your specialization on it.
There will always be market for good quality resource in every field. So analyze your potential,
match your educational background to it and then research the industry to see where a specialized
person of your skill set would best fit in.
4. SWOT Analysis – Keeping in view do a SWOT (Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Trends)
analysis to make a decision.
Therefore, you are the best judge of what field you should choose. However, if we were to make a
recommendation based on your prior academic background and market reality, only, then we would
recommend MIS. In the end, evaluate your skill set and combine it a market SWOT analysis to come up
with the best option.

Are There No Jobs For Fresh Graduates
In The Market?
Question: I have done MPA with HR as major and I had very good grades throughout my academic
session. As soon as I ended my studied I started looking for a job with full zeal. I applied everywhere I
could and started waiting for responses. However, I did not get called for a single job interview. When I
started calling the companies to find out why I had not been called for an interview, most of them told me
that I did not have 2-4 years of experience, which is necessary for the job that I have applied for. After
receiving the same answer from a multitude of organizations, I have become quite disheartened and have
lost the will to keep on going. My question to the hiring authorities is that how can they expect a fresh
graduate to have this much experience. It makes me very depressed and my attitude towards all the job
hunting sites has become very disappointed. Is there any way you can help me get a job and hence change
my attitude towards job hunting sites for the better?
Answer: Your frustration with the job hunting process is quite understandable, since there is nothing worse
than being unemployed and not getting called for interviews. However, most of the time there are several
reasons behind your failure to land a proper job and we have to look at all aspects before coming to a
decision. Once you figure out the reason behind the rejections, you can actually take measures to redress
the problem. Here are a few things you should check before giving up completely on job sites:
Are you qualified enough for the job? If you are not getting called for an interview due to lack of
experience, then it means that a fresh graduate cannot handle the job and that is why they are
looking for a more experienced candidate. In such cases it is better not to keep applying to these
posts where you are bound to face rejection.
Streamline your job hunting process so that you do not miss out on important job opportunities and
make sure that you are applying to the right posts. Keep a tab on all the new jobs that open up and
match the criterion given by the employer to your CV. Apply to jobs that best match your
capabilities since most of the employers do not process applications that do not fulfill the eligibility
criteria.
Try to lower your expectations as it might be that you do not want to be employed at a lower level
and are aiming too high. While it is true that most of the jobs that are in the market are for
experienced people, however there is no dearth of job openings at entry level positions either. You
need to start applying to all entry level positions so that you can begin your career. It is important to
realize that you might not be able to land your dream job right away. You have to work your way to
the top.

Applying For Jobs, And No Successes?
Answer: Sit yourself down before a mirror and try reflecting upon where you have gone wrong. One
mistake that most of us make is of taking our resumes “for granted”. How many of us actually know and
realise the significance of a good resume? Well the standard answer will be “we all do”. But think again!!
How seriously and sincerely do we follow that?
Do we actually in the real sense of the word realise that our resume is the first and the foremost impression
we are making on an employer? And it should have zero errors; rather it should contain content which
would make the employer call us for an interview. If you are thinking your resume is the sole piece of
document that will land you straight into a job then please note that it will not. Rather, it may land you into
the hot-seat of employment.
So, the reality is, and it may hurt, that a resume is intended and I assert solely intended to land into a job
interview. Taking it for granted can kill our chances to cease the opportunity that otherwise would have
nailed to our bed head-stead. Employers would not know how intelligent, capable and good-looking you are
without meeting you in person. And before you get carried away let me tell you that by good-looks I mean
the pleasant personality that is so sought-after these days that you see it as one of the most decisive trait
so clearly mentioned on every job requirement these days. So In short, this otherwise neglected piece of
paper, is the “key” to opening up that treasure chest of opportunities.
It should hold all the relevant details, enough to spark the employer‟s curiosity and give you a chance to
flaunt all your Gucci‟s and Armani‟s inside that brilliant glass-door room that smells of corporate culture.
This would get far to get your foot into that door and if you are brilliant enough, you may walk out with a
gleaming and anointed forehead. An offer to come again for a second interview technically implies that you
have ascended one rung of the ladder. The climb is easier from then on, if you keep your anxiety under
control and be your true self.
In order to cash in on your resume you have to get your resume rechecked by your own self. Go critical and
talk to your resume. Scrutinize and review it as many times as possible. And do not give up until you are
100% confident that “this is you”!
Major Don’ts For Resume Writiting:

Now this does not mean you have your whole biography ready. Giving meticulous details about you,
starting from kindergarten onwards, boasting about yourself, unnecessary detailing, why??? Learn from
immediate history! The trick is “make them buy the book”
Begin with a 4-5 line summary on “who you are?” do not begin this summary by telling your name, if you
have used the CV Wizard, your name already and clearly tops this document. Showcase the essence of
your personality, strengths, key traits and your career aspirations (where you see yourself 5 years down-
the-road, leaving behind political ambitions if any) here. You can humbly request somebody, who you feel
is good at it around you, to draft it for you! And for that even if you have to dine this person over a posh
meal, do it! Your audience needs to know who you uniquely are. However, avoid plagiarism and especially,
do not copy or paste!
Relevance:
A one pager is ideal. An intro with at-the-most your two latest qualifications in chronological order (the latest
one first), brief two liners on your final projects, an equal description on current/previous job portfolios,
listing your skills, interests and hobbies. But be careful, it should not be a long story. It has to have
essential information about you which should be very relevant. Now if you hyphenate all I mentioned
before, leaving your qualification, if you find relevant-work-assignments in your previous jobs, relevant-
projects in your terminal degree, relevant-skills and so on and so forth. If you discover any interests that
you have that may complement your proposed job requirement, put yet another plum in your hat! Try to
draw relevance in all you have mentioned in your resume vis-à-vis the job requirement but without
extending it beyond that single-page.
An Ideal Resume Format:

Here are some tips and suggestions, following these may help you shape an industry-approved and
formatted resume:
Cover Letter:
It is your general letter of solicitation. A brief on what your documentation is intended for. Some employers
consider it obsolete now; others may view a resume without a cover letter as unsolicited. I would encourage
you to make one, but keep it simple and short, concise but meaningful. Not with the faintest air of
arrogance, rather with undercurrents of humility. A formal request to invite you over for an interview

speaking your mind about your goals and vision, and where you want to grow professionally and how this
aligns with the opportunity being presented by the employer.
Education and Qualification:

Briefly mention your qualification e.g. Masters in English Literature, Bachelors in Information Technology,
and Intermediate in Computer Science in chronological order (last qualification on top and so on). In the
interest of conciseness, do not exceed beyond last three qualifications.
Professional Experience:
State your experience if any, and yes internships do count for experience and so does volunteer work as
long as you have a certificate verifying that. If you are applying to a job for which you do not have a relevant
profile, try exploring and mentioning roles in your previous job profiles that may complement the
requirements of the opportunity in sight.
Projects:
Mention any projects you have taken in the course of your degree programs especially if you are fresh. For
instance, if you have conducted a Market Research during your academic career then list the title and a
brief description of the executed project. This will help evaluate your analytical and research potential,
highlight your niche and would provide a better understanding of where you would fit into the organization.
Courses And Trainings:

Mentioning courses/training can be very valuable to your employer. It‟s insightful and engaging. Through
highlighting major areas of your proficiency you may end up influencing employers‟ decision to your
selection. For example if you have graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with
Human Resource Management as the major and have studied Negotiation Skills, Interpersonal Behaviour
and Diversity Management then listing of these courses can persuade the employer to call you up for a
detailed interview.
Relevant Skills:
The “Relevant Skills” section provides you the opportunity to list your skills such as Interpersonal Skills,
Language Proficiency and the essential IT Skills that you would like to communicate to the employer.
Achievements And Awards:

This section is provided to you to list all your outstanding achievements or awards received by you during
your academic/professional career. These include any Certificate of Merit, Honour Roll, Co-curricular
Certificates you have acquired. Publicizing this information on your resume will greatly improve your
chances to succeed for a job interview.
Interests And Hobbies:

Most of us usually ignore this section of the resume. Interests and hobbies show the kind of person you
are. Mentioning some healthy interests and hobbies showcase you as a well-rounded person which is a
positive thing. Employers do want diverse personalities and mentioning your interests are a glimpse of that.
Interests and hobbies can vary depending on your personality, which shows the employer a new dimension
of your character
Remember your resume has to be very effective, but not in design and layout, it‟s the content that takes
precedence over everything. For the sake of analogy, a great resume is like a piece of poetry. Poetry, no
matter short has a deep and captivating contextual reference. And the simpler it is, the more engaging it
becomes.
Moreover, keep some points in mind while applying for a job. For every Job opportunity the resume` should
be tweaked requirements of every job-title present a new scenario to the employer and they vary their
approach in assessing prospective applicants and this is true vice-a-versa. So keeping one generic resume
and spamming employer‟s mailboxes unnecessarily is a redundant idea.
In that case, read the Job Description carefully. Check the requirements and try to match keywords in your
resume` with that. This may do wonders for you while employer‟s search-engine is at play. Employers while
shortlisting resumes employ keyword searches. And all the keywords are mentioned in the job description
so if your resume has a matching keyword it pops up instantly. It distinguishes your application among the
pool of prospective candidates. A possible pitfall in any great resume can be spell errors and bad grammar.
So, always spell check your resumes, over and over again, through spell-checkers and also manually.
Now you can easily tailor or customise it for various jobs in moments.

Which Career Path Should I Pick From
A Multitude Of Choices?
Question: I am currently doing my F.Sc and am in the first year. I now have to decide which career path to
take as I am supposed to appear in the interview tests for universities in the upcoming year. I am really
confused and I have no idea which path should I go on to. Initially I was considering becoming a doctor but
I have learnt through various sources that they are not as well paid as are some of the people belonging to
the other professions. Recently, I read somewhere in a survey that doctors are the most overworked and
the least paid people. Now my mind keeps on switching between telecom engineering and a degree in
Physics. My father has aspirations that I become an Electrical engineer and my mother wants me to get an
MBA degree. This has further confused me, making it harder for me to come to a decision. I need your
advice on what to do and how to decide which course of action should I take in the future.
Answer: A lot of students face difficulties when trying to choose which career path will be best for them. It
is not an easy task and students feel utterly confused when they are presented with all the options. After all,
it is a huge decision that affects the future of the individual for better or for worse. While we cannot make
the decision for you, we can surely make the decision making process easier by helping you see all the
sides that are involved.
As you have said that you are interested in physics and telecom industry, the best course would be to take
up any of the two as a career. The fact that your parents have different wishes does not mean that you
cannot follow your heart.
Choosing a career path is the most important choice that a person has to make during his life. Once you
choose a career path and get educated you have to work in the field for the rest of your life. Choosing
something which you do not have any interest in will marginalize your chances of success, whatever field it
may be.
The best way to choose your career path is to figure out where your interests lie and what kind of work suits
your nature best. There are a lot of online surveys which can help you figure out the types of career which
suits you.
When you have chosen a career path make sure that you talk to some of the people who are already
working in the field. Discuss with them the pros and cons associated with the field in question and then
decide whether you want to enter it or not. You can get suggestions from people belonging to different
fields and then decide which one to enter.
Whatever you do, bear in mind that when choosing a career path you must not go against your natural
instinct as you will excel in the field which you like and understand completely. If you choose something you
have no interest in, it will take you twice the effort and reap half the results.
We hope that the suggestions provided will help in clearing you mind and end the confusion that you have
been dealing with.

INTERVIEW, CV AND JOB TIPS
Make Impressive CV
When it comes to getting a job, the most important document you own is your CV. It is the document that
gets you the call from the recruitment agency or head-hunter, gets you the interview and eventually lands
you the job, with due importance to your performance at the interview.
As important as these few sheets of paper are, not all of us pay as much attention to the details we put on it
as we ideally should -- and we should, because, those sheets will be scrutinised by every person who has a
role to play in getting you hired. Irrelevant details, shoddy penmanship or just too much fluff all lend a
helping hand in getting your CV tossed in the bin instead of getting sent up to HR.
"A CV is an advertisement tool that you present to your prospective employers. It must highlight the specific
features written in a chronological order instead of describing your areas of interests and inherent qualities,"
says Shekhar M, HR manager with an advertisement firm in Bangalore. "We are more interested to know
the value they can add to our organization."
"I have been quite intrigued by the fact that people write bio-data as a heading for their resume/ CV," says,
Richa Sharma, senior executive-HR with a retail outlet.
So what is it that HR is looking for anyway? We spoke to some professionals in the field to find out:
Keep it clean:
So just what is it that makes a winning CV? Says Anuj Parag*, HR consultant, "Untidy CVs are an
immediate turn-off. Crumpled, stained sheets are pushed to the back of the pile and neat, clearly printed
CVs are paid attention to. I think most recruiters would agree that they do the same."
"I prefer CVs that have the name of the person up front. Sometimes people put in a paragraph of flowery
language covering their career goals or a famous quote instead of stating obvious and useful information
like their name, address, previous or current employer," he continues.
"Avoid putting logos of the companies you have worked for," says Mr Rajkumar, VP, human resources, with
a leading real estate organisation, "And definitely avoid 'unique' e-mail IDs."
Cut the flash:

Keep it simple, is what most HR professionals recommend. "We don't need to see your creative side unless
the job demands it, and even then, the CV would not be the right place to display it," says Vijay Kohli*, HR
head at a Mumbai-based IT firm.
"Your name and contact details at the top, followed by your work experience and educational qualifications
printed on a regular A4 sheet of paper -- that's about all the information we need. I'm not looking for
interests, hobbies, family history or a photograph (which should only be sent if specifically asked for)."
Tell no lies:
eventually, what will get you into the interviewee's seat is the fact that you have what the company is
looking for and the interview is the next step to making sure you haven't lied about your qualifications or
skills.
"Lying is the worst thing you can do," says Parag. Usually people who have lied about their capabilities get
found out in the interview or technical test and if they manage to get past, they'll get caught on the job so
it's really not worth the effort, he says.
Lying means that your CV is immediately tossed out. "You would be better off saying that you have
rudimentary knowledge of a field, which might make the recruiter hold on to your CV for some other
vacancy, instead of claiming to be an expert and proving you're not."

Update regularly:
Update your CV as and when you pick up new skills or change jobs. "Do not leave time gaps in your CV,"
says Mitali Ghosh*, HR trainer. If you were unemployed for a time, mention it on the resume, however
briefly. "Some people think that it will create a negative impression. But just leaving a gap of 1-2 years
unaccounted for is sure to be questioned at the interview and by the recruiter. It will draw more attention
and questions than a single line of explanation would."
Says Parag to wind up, "Be honest, relevant and simple in the language and presentation of your CV, that
is all we are is looking for."
This article is an attempt to help the readers design an impressive and user-friendly CV. If you ensure that
you include this information in your CV, the chances of it meeting the interviewer's expectations are more d.
Begin with name and contact details:

Make this information available at the beginning of your CV. This should include your postal address,
phone number (preferably mobile number) and e-mail address (only one). If a company wants to call you
for an interview or needs to communicate with you for any further information, they will look out for this
information. If it is buried somewhere inside the CV it will not only put them off but also reduce their
chances of contacting you.
Write an appealing career summary:

This is your chance to bring forward relevant strengths and skills to the recruiter. Everything in your CV
should support your Career Summary. If there's anything that doesn't support your Career Summary, you
should reconsider listing it.
You should write your Career Summary around your skills, attitude, knowledge and experience. There are
two schools of thought on writing the career statement.
Some people think that it should be a short 30-40 word paragraph while others give it liberty to be covered
in 4-5 bulleted points. Whatever you decide on, ensure that everything relevant that you want to sell to the
prospective employer is covered here. At the same time, it should not become nauseating.
Focus on your work experience, responsibilities and achievements:

If you are an experienced candidate, your work experience is your main asset. Include the details of the
relevant jobs you have done in the past. You should present your work experience in a chronologically
descending order ie the last company first.
This should include the name of the company, your designation and tenure followed by your job
responsibilities and achievements. It is always better to present this information in bulleted format rather
than a clumsy paragraph. Mention some figures when you talk about your achievements.
For example:
Worked as Business Development Manager for XYZ Company from June 2000 to January 2004.
Job responsibilities:
Setting up 7 franchisees across 4 countries

Maximising the business from existing customers to the tune of $ 200,000
Your next asset is your educational qualification:

Educational qualifications play an important role in the recruitment of freshers. If you are a fresh candidate,
focus your CV on your qualifications and achievements during your student life.
Write about your out-of-work achievements, interests and hobbies:

These reflect your personality and skills. Present the relevant achievements in the order of priority ie the
most important achievement first. Similarly, present your interests as well. Write about the achievements
that display a facet of your personality. For example, if you have been the president of your college, do
mention it. It shows your leadership skills.
Write short sentences with more impactful words:

Lengthy CVs put the recruiter off. Keep the sentences short and use words that demonstrate your hold of
the situation like managed, arranged, supervised etc.
Formal font faces:
A font like Verdana-10 should be good for the content while the Name at the top can be written in Verdana-
12, with a bold font face.
Use the same tense throughout the CV:

Changing the tense in every second line leaves the reader confused and annoyed.
Now, put together both the articles ie 12 things your CV should not have and 8 things to make an
impressive CV. Draft and re-draft your CV keeping the points mentioned, till you are satisfied that you have
presented the facts in the most impressive and convincing way.
Your CV is your marketing brochure through which you try to sell a commodity, ie your skills to the potential
buyer ie the prospective employer. The sole purpose of your CV is to fetch you an interview call. Nothing
more, nothing less.
However, creating a CV isn't as simple as just using flowery language and pretty fonts. There are certain
things that put recruiters off and if you want to make a good impression, make sure you do not commit
these mistakes in what is arguably the most valuable document of your job hunt.
While the rules listed are well-founded, they are not carved in stone. At times you will need to break the
rules. If you want to add these things knowingly and purposefully to your CV we advise you to do that.
The points mentioned here are not listed in the order of priority; instead they are listed in the sequence in
which they usually appear on a CV.
Colorful or glossy paper and flashy fonts:

Your CV is a formal, official document. Keep it simple.
Resume or CV at the top:

Many people tend to add headings to their CV. The usual are CV, Curriculum Vitae and Resume. Do not do
this.
Photographs until asked:

Do not add your photo to the CV until you have been asked for it. Photographs are required only for certain
types of positions like models, actors etc.
Usage of 'I', 'My', 'He', 'She':

Do not use these in your CV. Many candidates write, 'I worked as Team Leader for XYZ Company' or 'He
was awarded Best Employee for the year 2007'. Instead use bullet points to list out your qualifications/
experience like: Team leader for XYZ Company from 2006-2007.
Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors:

Proofread your CV until you are confident that it doesn't have any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors.
These are big put-offs for the recruiters. Moreover, sometimes these mistakes might land you in an
embarrassing situation.
A candidate who submitted his CV without proofreading it committed the mistake of wrongly spelling 'ask'
as 'ass'. Now you can imagine the type of embarrassment he must have faced during the interview, when
the interviewer pointed it out. These mistakes tend to convey a lazy and careless attitude to the interviewer.
Lies about your candidature:

Do not lie about your past jobs or qualifications or anything which might have an impact on the job. You
may be able to secure a job with these lies today but tomorrow you may lose it as well.
Abbreviations or jargon that is difficult to understand:

People screening your resume usually belong to the HR department. If they do not understand what the
abbreviations and jargon mean, they will simply dump your CV in the trash can. Avoid over-using such
terms as far as possible.

Reasons for leaving last job:
Leave these reasons to be discussed during the personal interview. For example, some candidates write:
Reason for leaving the last job: Made redundant. Avoid making such statements in your CV, they add no
value. Besides, if you do get an interview call, chances are the interviewer will address the issue.
Past failures or health problems:

Mentioning these immediately slash your chances of getting an interview call.
For instance, you have a gap in your employment because you started your own business which did not do
well. Some candidates might write -- Reason for gap in employment: Started own business which failed. Do
not do this type of injustice with your job hunt at this stage of writing the CV.
Current or expected salary:

Leave it to be discussed while negotiating the salary.
Irrelevant details:
Leave out the details like marital status, sex, passport number, number of kids, age of kids. These are
usually irrelevant for most interviewers but at times could be used as a basis for discrimination.
References:
Do not include them until asked. In fact, it is not even required to mention the line 'Reference available on
request'. If the recruiter requires a reference, he/she will ask you to bring it along for the interview.
Now that you have run through the list, take a fresh look at your CV and prune away unnecessary details
and unaffordable blunders that could have cost you your dream job.
Gone are the days of people spending their entire professional lives at one organization. In these days of
constant change, professionals don't stick around for too long, jumping profiles and companies at regular
intervals, constantly on the lookout for a better offer or a more challenging environment.
However, from the company's point of view, the recruitment and training of employees costs a lot of money,
thus making them cautious while hiring new candidates.
While looking for suitable candidates, companies refrain from hiring professionals who frequently switch of
jobs understanding the constant job switches to mean:
Lack of commitment
Inability to stick to one role for long
Being unreliable
Being money-minded
Inability to get along with people
Lack of clarity in job profile
If the prospective employer suspects that any of these statements holds true for you, the chances of your
CV getting shortlisted for an interview become bleak. Somehow, if you do manage to get an interview call
but are not able to satisfy the interviewer's curiosity about your job switches your chances of getting
through are again meager.
So, if you have switched many jobs recently, here are some tips on how to write your CV and handle the
interview questions.
Writing the CV:
Your CV is your ticket to the job race. It is the first thing about you that the prospective employer looks at.
Its purpose is to fetch you an interview call.
The recruitment team gets hundreds of CVs in response to one job notification and spends a few seconds
on each CV, while screening. If your CV can't impress the selectors in 30 seconds, its purpose is defeated.

12 things your CV should have.
Keeping this in mind, you have to draft your CV in such a way that the prospective employer first gets to
see the most relevant and positive information about you. This can be done if you follow the following
simple tips while writing your CV:
Focus on your skills:
If you have switched jobs very fast (less than one year), keep the focus of your CV on the skills acquired
rather than the jobs you have done. This can be done by listing your key skills on the front page
immediately after your career summary
Write about your achievements:
Your achievements during your last jobs communicate that this is what you did for your last employers and
this is what you can do if they hire you. So, write your achievements immediately after your skill set in your
CV. Use some figures wherever possible. For eg, if you were responsible for recruitment in your last
company, you can write: 'Recruited 35 employees over a period of six months to match the company's
target of 80 per cent growth in terms of Human Resources.'.
If you worked as the purchase manager in your last jobs, mention any formal recognition received from
your former employers for your role.
Mention your qualifications:
Your next weapons are your qualifications. So, if you have good professional/ educational qualifications,
write about them after your skills.
Use words with greater impact:
Use words that show your control over things like acquired, approved, managed, analysed, resolved etc.
Last jobs on last page:
It is human tendency to pay comparatively less attention to the information on the back pages. The same
holds true for the information towards the right hand side of the page. So, write about the jobs you've held
on the back page with commencing and leaving dates towards the right.
Acing the interview:
Once you have got an interview call, your next target is to clear the interview. For this, you need to satisfy
the interviewer's queries on your job-hopping. Here are some most frequently asked questions in this
regard and their possible answers:
Why have you switched so many jobs?
This can be the most direct question on this subject. While answering this question you can say that: "I
wanted to broaden my work experience and to achieve it I had to move out of the company". Continue with
an example explaining your logic behind it and the success you achieved with it.
What will you do if you get another job offer with a higher salary?
The purpose of this question is to know if you have a tendency to switch jobs for a couple of thousand
rupees. You can answer by saying that the money does attract everybody but you will try to analyse the
growth prospects in both positions. If your present job can offer you the growth you seek, then you will stick
to it.

What does growth mean to you?
This question can arise from the answer to your last question. You can answer by saying that growth
according to you is broadening your experience and acquiring new skills.
Do you get bored of repetitive work?
The agenda of this question is to know if you can stick to a role for a significant period. To answer this
question you can say that, you understand that each job has an element of repetition but you enjoy doing
your job and will give it your best.

12 THINGS YOUR CV SHOULD NOT
HAVE
Your CV is your marketing brochure through which you try to sell a commodity, ie your skills to the potential
buyer ie the prospective employer. The sole purpose of your CV is to fetch you an interview call. Nothing
more, nothing less.
However, creating a CV isn't as simple as just using flowery language and pretty fonts. There are certain
things that put recruiters off and if you want to make a good impression, make sure you do not commit
these mistakes in what is arguably the most valuable document of your job hunt.
While the rules listed are well-founded, they are not carved in stone. At times you will need to break the
rules. If you want to add these things knowingly and purposefully to your CV we advise you to do that.
The points mentioned here are not listed in the order of priority; instead they are listed in the
sequence in which they usually appear on a CV.
Colorful or glossy paper and flashy fonts:
Your CV is a formal, official document. Keep it simple.
Resume or CV at the top:
Many people tend to add headings to their CV. The usual are CV, Curriculum Vitae and Resume.
Do not do this.
Photographs until asked:
Do not add your photo to the CV until you have been asked for it. Photographs are required only for certain
types of positions like models, actors etc.
Usage of 'I', 'My', 'He', 'She'
Do not use these in your CV. Many candidates write, 'I worked as Team Leader for XYZ Company' or 'He
was awarded Best Employee for the year 2007'. Instead use bullet points to list out your qualifications/
experience like: Team leader for XYZ Company from 2006-2007.
Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors:
Proofread your CV until you are confident that it doesn't have any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors.
These are big put-offs for the recruiters. Moreover, sometimes these mistakes might land you in an
embarrassing situation.
A candidate who submitted his CV without proofreading it committed the mistake of wrongly spelling 'ask'
as 'ass'. Now you can imagine the type of embarrassment he must have faced during the interview, when
the interviewer pointed it out. These mistakes tend to convey a lazy and careless attitude to the interviewer.
Lies about your candidature:
Do not lie about your past jobs or qualifications or anything which might have an impact on the job. You
may be able to secure a job with these lies today but tomorrow you may lose it as well. Abbreviations or
jargon that is difficult to understand
People screening your resume usually belong to the HR department. If they do not understand what the
abbreviations and jargon mean, they will simply dump your CV in the trash can. Avoid over-using such
terms as far as possible.

Reasons for leaving last job:
Leave these reasons to be discussed during the personal interview. For example, some candidates write:
Reason for leaving the last job: Made redundant. Avoid making such statements in your CV, they add no
value. Besides, if you do get an interview call, chances are the interviewer will address the issue.
Past failures or health problems:
Mentioning these immediately slash your chances of getting an interview call.
For instance, you have a gap in your employment because you started your own business which did not do
well. Some candidates might write -- Reason for gap in employment: Started own business which failed. Do
not do this type of injustice with your job hunt at this stage of writing the CV.
Current or expected salary:
Leave it to be discussed while negotiating the salary.
Irrelevant details:
Leave out the details like marital status, sex, passport number, number of kids, age of kids. These are
usually irrelevant for most interviewers but at times could be used as a basis for discrimination.
References:
Do not include them until asked. In fact, it is not even required to mention the line 'Reference available on
request'. If the recruiter requires a reference, he/she will ask you to bring it along for the interview.

Sort Out Your CV/Resume in 10 Easy
Steps.
1: Make a First Draft:
Write down your current job title and list down all the things you do and are responsible for on a day to day
basis. Re-read what you've written and try to prioritise your responsibilities. Think about what skills you
need to do what you do. What have you done in your current role that has made you most proud? Asking
yourself these questions will not only get you in a CV/resume frame of mind, it will provide you with all the
information you need.
2: Choose a format:
Now you've got the knowledge you need - it's time to decide how to package it. There are three standard
types of CV/resume, and each has its uses.
The Chronological CV/resume - This is almost an industry standard. Use it if your work history is stable and
each move has seen you climb steadily up the career ladder. Not for frequent job changes or those who
have had a case of the responsibility hiccups.
The Functional CV/resume - For those who have experienced spates of unemployment or sporadic job
jumps. This CV/resume does not list employment dates or company names, preferring skills and
responsibilities.
The Prioritized CV/resume - A format for those about to undertake a career change, or whose current skills
are not directly relevant to the job applied for. This CV/resume is written prioritizing the work experience
which is most relevant to the job you want.
3: Don't make it too long:
Work to the maximum length of two-pages. No-one reads long CV/resumes; they just reach the waste bin
first.
4: Or too clever:
Choose your content and your words carefully. Treat your CV/resume as an outline sketch of your job
history - highlight your strengths and abilities to problem solve using active verbs such as "responsible" and
"achieved", which have universal appeal.
5: Type it, don't write it:
Handwriting analysis may be a great fairground attraction - but potential employers will not take time to
interpret your scrawl. Type your CV/resume, no fancy fonts or flourishes - this is a case of emphasizing
substance over style.
6: Tailor the content:
Do you have friends who send you 'Round Robins' at Christmas? Cute, but admit it, you'd prefer something
a bit more personal. For employers, the same applies, try a bit of tailoring, it doesn't have to be too much,
but the occasional skills tweak can work wonders.
7: Exaggerators beware
So you weren't principal boy - then say so. Don't exaggerate your achievements, if your success was
because of teamwork, identify it as such. It will make your claims more believable.

8: Spelling
Your skills may win you the battle - but bad typing and grammatical mistakes will lose you the war. Run the
spell checker, read your CV/resume more than once or better still enroll a friend as a second pair of eyes.
9: Alert your referees
Check your referees before you use their name. It's a courtesy, and a good fail safe - they may have
moved.
10: And don't mention the money
Keep your current salary to yourself for now, unless you're asked directly of course. Otherwise, if you earn
too little or too much you'll have ruled yourself out before you even reach the door.

Create A Lasting Impression With Your
Cover Letter!
Answer: Most of the job seekers put a lot of emphasis on creating an impressive CV hoping that it will grab
the attention of the person responsible for short listing the resumes. However, they have no idea that a
well-constructed cover letter immensely increases the possibility of getting selected. There is a vast
majority of candidates who do not realize the importance of writing a cover letter and most of them apply to
jobs without this essential document.
Contrary to the common belief, the cover letter is not just an added document to increase the appeal of the
resume. All employers expect to receive a well written and concise cover letter attaches to the CV and by
not sending one you are committing your first mistake.
Significance Of A Cover Letter:

The cover letter plays an important role in determining the fate of your CV; it can either make its way to the
employer‟s desk or end up in the waste basket. The main purpose of the cover letter is to create an
impression on the selector using very few lines.One must realize that for any given job opening, hundreds
of applications and CVs land on the employer‟s desk. There is a high chance that the HR manager
responsible for short listing the candidates takes one look at your resume and throws it away unless there
is something to grab his attention. A well written cover letter serves exactly this purpose.
Avoid Using Cover Letter Templates:

There are many cover letter templates available on the internet but it is not a good choice to use them. The
templates are generalized and cannot serve the actual purpose of a cover letter which is to distinguish the
resume from the rest of hundreds of applications.
Most of the job seekers make the mistake of using a cover letter template and as a result all of the
applications end up looking the same. If you want to make an impression with a different cover letter, make
sure that you write one from scratch rather than copying one from the internet. Keep in mind that the
employer will appreciate your originality and creativity.
Tips For Writing An Effective Cover Letter:

Writing a cover letter entirely from scratch is not as difficult as most job seekers think. There are a few
basic things that need to be addressed in a cover letter and once you get some practice writing these cover
letters, it becomes so easy that a job seeker can write a personalized cover letter for each job application.
This makes the cover letter more effective and you are bound to make a better impression if the employer
gets the feeling that the cover letter you have attached with your resume is unique.
For writing an effective and impressive cover letter, follow the golden rules given below:
Personalize:
The first most important thing to remember while writing a cover letter is to make sure that you address it to
a specific person rather than giving a generalized title such as „Sir‟ or „Madam‟. When you apply for a job
you can easily find the name of the person you have to address by simply calling the office and asking
about the HR manager. He can provide you with the details that will help you in writing a good cover letter.
Mention The Position:

When writing a cover letter mention the title of the position that you are applying for, along with the
department in which the position has opened up. Don‟t leave it out based on the assumption that the
employer knows which position has opened up in which department. It never hurts to be concise and
mentioning the position and the department gives the impression that you are actually interested in that
particular job.
Moreover there might be a chance that two or more positions have opened up in the same department and
when you fail to mention the position you are applying for, the person going through the CVs will probably
just throw yours away rather than wasting time in figuring out which position are you applicable for.
Strong Opening
The beginning of your cover letter should be strong and enthusiastic so that it grabs the attention of the
reader at the first glance. Mention why you are interested in the job and explain in strong terms what you
can bring to the job that will make you the best candidate.

Be Convincing
After the brief opening line, use the second paragraph to briefly point out the qualities and experiences
which make you ideal for the job. You can do this by comparing your skills to the ones needed for the job
opening.
By doing this, you can very simply point out the reasons for the employer to at least give you a chance to
appear in an interview. However make sure that whatever you write is true and accurate as the cover letter
is no place to go bragging about skills that you don‟t have and cannot possibly have attained during your
last job experiences.
Be Concise
Keep in mind that a cover letter has to be brief and concise so make your point clearly and try not to ramble
on. If your cover letter is too long it will fail to make a lasting impression on the reader and the employer
might not even go through the entire cover letter. You must be cut it short and use the space judiciously to
your benefit.
End Well
The third and the last paragraph should be the ending of the cover letter where you express the wish that
the employer will give you a chance to work with them and prove to them what talents and skills you
possess. Keep the ending brief as well and thank the employer in the last lines.
No Mistakes
There is one rule about cover letters that can make or destroy your impression on the employer and that is,
„absolutely no mistakes.‟ When you have written your cover letter, go through it again and again to make
sure that there are no spelling mistakes or typing errors.
Format It Right
Make sure that you format your cover late in simply but accurately. Do not use colors, tables or numbering
in it. If you need to highlight something, make it bold. Give appropriate line spacing and use paragraphs to
avoid a cluttered look.
Conclusion
Attach the cover letter on top of the resume not under it as the basic purpose of a cover letter is to make a
statement for your resume. A well written cover letter will make sure that the employer at least considers
your application for the position that has opened up, which is a lot more than most of the candidates get.

How To Go About Doing A Background
Check On A Prospective Employer
Before Going For A Job Interview?
Question: I have been called upon for an interview at a multi-national company, where I applied for a job
few days back. When I applied for the job vacancy in that company, I focused on the job description and
prerequisites that matched with my qualifications. However, as I have been called upon for the interview, I
need to have sufficient background information of the company and other aspects related to it.
Please suggest me as to where and how can I look for the prospective company‟s information, in order to
prepare myself for the interview.
Answer: When you are going for a job interview, it is wise to do your homework on the prospective
employer. Acquiring as much information about the company as you can helps boosting your confidence.
Also, mentioning some of the salient features of the company during the interview can create a very good
impression. Although the most important and convenient tool of getting information on a prospective
employer is through Internet, however, there are few other sources as well. Here are some guidelines on
how to search for such information about a company before you go for a job interview.
• Look up for the information in the official website of the company. Company‟s website is the best source
from where you can collect important information about its products, recent changes, competitors and
clients. Observe the tone and notice what age and socioeconomic group the site targets the most. Look for
clues about the corporate climate, and make note of any business partners linked to the site. Pay careful
attention to the keywords, or the words that are repeated throughout the site, and try to use them during the
interview.
• Specifically, read the About Us section of the company‟s website, as it will give you the profile of the
company. Note down the important points to mention in the interview. See what markets it targets and how
your skills can fit in according to those targets. Look into the News and Press Releases sections, if
available. This will give you latest information on the new projects and other changes in the company.
Search for information about the company‟s competitors. This may help you answer questions about
marketing strategies in the interview.
• Browse through blogs, especially business and commerce blogs. Many reputable companies and their
employees post good information about these companies in such blogs. Blogs are a great way to get inside
information about a company in an informal way. Similarly, look at online job networking resources, groups
and discussion forums.
• Get all the relevant information about your job description. Such information is usually mentioned in the
job posting that you may have responded to. Knowing more about the company and the job you will be
interviewed for will help you prepare better.
• Contact a friend or acquaintance that might work for the company and try to pick their brains. Ask for
inside information about the corporate climate, the staff and special policies. It will help set a mind-frame for
the particular job.
Before you land the job or even appear in the interview, it is very important to find out about the company,
review the related industry trends and anticipate those tough interview questions. The more you prepare,
the greater your chances of blowing away the competition. Going beyond the basic know-how is a great
way to show creative problem solving skills and resourcefulness.

How Can I Search, Add And Manage
References In My Resume?
Question: I have been working in my professional field for last seven years. Just recently, due to the
effects of the on-going economic crunch, I lost my job. Since then, I have been seeking an employment
opportunity and have already sent my resume for some vacant positions. However, during this job hunt, I
have discovered that having a reference or recommendation from the previous employer is very important
in landing a job.
Actually, I have worked in several companies during this seven-year journey, and I am sure that all my
previous employers can vouch for my professionalism and expertise in the field with complete confidence.
However, I am concerned as how should I ask for a recommendation or reference from my previous
employer. Need your help!
Answer: No doubt, one of the most important assets for a job-seeker is the professional references. After
spending hours constructing a powerful resume, that is the perfect blend of enthusiasm and
professionalism, filling up the „Reference‟ part may seem like an easy part of your job search. However, a
little courtesy and carefulness is required to ensure that your references are prepared to give the best
possible recommendation of your abilities.
Following are the things that you should keep in consideration whenever you seek a reference for your
resume:
• The most important thing is to ask for a reference from the people who have good things to say about
you. When asking someone for a permission to include them in your reference list in your resume, check if
they seem enthusiastic about acting as a reference. If they seem reluctant, it may be because that they
have some concerns about your job performance, or they are concerned about their own ability to
adequately describe your skills. If your potential referee does not respond positively and with enthusiasm,
you should not add them in your reference list and find someone else to fill the place.
• Get proper permission before naming someone as a reference in your resume. Even if you are sure that
the person would agree to refer you, it is still essential to ask his/her permission beforehand. If the referee
does not know about what they would say about you to the potential employer, they may not be able to
describe your talents. Moreover, some referees may feel insulted that you did not ask permission before
giving their contact information to a stranger.
• Always provide your referee a copy of the position (description of the job) you applied for and the latest
copy of your resume. Your referee should know about your professional aim; it is also very helpful to have
the entire picture.
• Ask your reference person to mention some specific skills, competencies and accomplishments in
his/her letter of recommendation or when a prospective employer inquires about you. These specific skills
and competencies should be related to the particular job and the field in which you are applying so that it is
easy for the employer to judge you better.
• Last, but, of course, not the least, always thank your referee for letting you add his/her name in the list
of references in your resume. Also, always be ready to return the favour in a suitable manner. Similarly,
keep your reference writer in the loop, either you did or did not get the job. If you do, write another thank
you note to the referee.
• Keep in touch with your referee regarding any progress in your job search. As you advance in your job
search, keep your references up-to-date, regardless of the outcome of the search. There are chances that
if you inform the referee that you did not get the job, he/she might be able to inform you about another good
opportunity.
Many job seekers believe that during the recruitment process potential employers do not ask for references
anymore. Even if they do, they do not call them and seek their responses about you; well, neither is correct.
The practice of reference-checking is still a serious factor in hiring. A reference-check can reveal
information that a candidate excludes or even lies about in an interview or a resume. By following the
mentioned tips, a job seeker can add a suitable number of references who will vouch for his competence
and will result in landing the job. Always make sure that you and your reference person agree on your work
history and your personal relationship. Letters of recommendation and mentioning of references in the
resume can lift up a candidate to a top choice of the potential employer. It is important that you manage
your recommendations and references carefully and use them in the best possible way.

50 COMMON INTERVIEW
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
1. Tell me about yourself?
The most often asked question in interviews. You need to have a short statement prepared in your mind.
Be careful that it does not sound rehearsed. Limit it to work related items unless instructed otherwise. Talk
about things you have done and jobs you have held that relate to the position you are interviewing for.
Start with the item farthest back and work up to the present.
2. Why did you leave your last job?
Stay positive regardless of the circumstances. Never refer to a major problem with Management and never
speak ill of supervisors, co-workers or the organization. If you do, you will be the one looking bad. Keep
smiling and talk about leaving for a positive reason such as an opportunity, a chance to do something
special or other forward looking reasons.
3. What experience you have in this field?
Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are applying for. If you do not have specific
experience, get as close as you can.
4. Do you consider yourself successful?
You should always answer yes and briefly explain why. A good explanation is that you have set goals, and
you have met some and are on track to achieve the others.
5. What do co-worked say about you?
Be prepared with a quote or two from co-workers. Either a specific statement or a paraphrase will work.
Jill Clark, a co-worker at Smith Company, always said I was the hardest worker she had ever known. It is a
powerful as Jill having said at the interview herself.
6. What do you know about this organization?
This question is one reason to do some research on the organization before the interview. Find out where
they have been and where they are going. What are the current issues and who are the major players.
7. What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year?
Try to include improvement activities that relate to the job. A wide variety of activities scan be mentioned
as positive self-improvement. Have some good ones handy to mention.
8. Are you applying for other jobs?
Be honest but do not spend a lot of time in this area. Keep the focus on this job and what you can do for
this organization. Anything else is a distraction.
9. Why do you want to work for this organization?
This may take some thought and certainly should be based on the research you have done on the
organization. Sincerity is extremely important here and will easily sense. Relate it to your long term career
goals.

10. Do you know anyone who works for us?
Be aware of the policy on relatives working for the origination. This can affect your answer even though
they asked about friends not relatives. Be careful to mention a friend only if they are well thought of.
11. What is your expected salary?
A loaded question. A nasty little game that you will probably lose if you answer first. So do not answer it.
Instead say something like that is a tough question. Can you tell me the range for this position. In most
cases, the interviewer taken off guard will tell you. If not say that it can depend on the details of the job.
Then give a wide range.
12. Are you a team player?
You are of course a team player. Be sure to have examples ready. Specifics that show you often perform
for the good of the team rather than for yourself are good evidence of your team attitude. Do not brag, just
say it in a matter of fact tone. This is a key point.
13. How long would you expect to work for us if hired?
Specifics here are not good. Something like this should work: I would like it to be a long time. Or as long
as we both feel I am doing a good job.
14. Have you ever had to fire anyone?
How did you feel about that? This is serious. Do not make light of it or in any away seem like you like to
fire people. At the same time, you will do it when it is the right thing to do. When it comes to the
organization versus the individual who has created a harmful situation, you will protect the organization.
Remember firing is not the same as lay off or reduction in force.
15. What is your philosophy toward work?
The interviewer is not looking for a long or flowery dissertation here. Do you have strong feelings that the
job gets done. Yes that is the type of answer that works best here. Short and positive, showing a benefit to
the organization.
16. If you had enough money to retire right now, would you?
Yes if you would. But since you need to work, this is the type of work you prefer. Do not say yes if you do
not mean it.
17. Have you ever been asked to leave a position?
If you have not, say no. If you have, be honest, brief and avoid saying negative things about the people or
organization involved.
18. Explain how would be an asset to this organization?
You should be anxious for this question. It gives you a chance to highlight your best points as they relate to
the position being discussed.
19. Why should we hire you?
Point out how your assets meet what the organization needs. Do not mention any other candidates to
make a comparison.
20. Tell me about a suggestion you have made?
Have a good one ready. Be sure and use a suggestion that was accepted and was then considered
successful. One related to the type of work applied for is a real plus.

21. What irritates you about co-workers?
This is a trap question. Think real hard but fail to come up with anything that irritates you. A short
statement that you seem to get along with folks is great.
22. What is your greatest strength?
Numerous answers are good, just stay positive. A few good examples: Your ability to prioritize, your
problem-solving skills, your ability to work under pressure, your ability to focus on projects, your
professional expertise, your leadership skills, your positive attitude.
23. Tell me about your dream job?
Stay away from a specific job. You cannot win. If you say the job you are contending for is it, you strain
credibility. If you say another job is it, you plant the suspicion that you will be dissatisfied with this position
if hired. The best is to stay genetic and say something like: A job where I love the work, like the people,
can contribute and cannot wait to get to work.
24. Why do you think you would do well at this job?
Give several reasons and include skills, experience and interest.
25. What are you looking for in a job?
See answer No. 23.
26. What kind of person would you refuse to work with?
Do not be trivial. It would take disloyalty to the organization, violence or law breaking to get you to object.
Minor objection will label you as whiner.
27. What is more important to you: the money or the work?
Money is always important, but the work is the most important. There is no better answer.
28. What would your previous supervisor say your strongest point is?
There are numerous good possibilities: Loyalty, Energy, Positive Attitude, Leadership, Team Player,
Expertise, Initiative, Patience, Hard work, Creativity, Problem Solver.
29. Tell me about a problem you had with a supervisor?
Biggest trap of all. This is a test to see if you will speak ill of your boss. If you fall for it and tell about a
problem with a former boss, you may well below the interview right there. Stay positive and develop a poor
memory about any trouble with a supervisor.
30. What has disappointed you about a job?
Do not get trivial or negative. Safe areas are few but can include: Not enough of a challenge. You were
laid off in a reduction company did not win a contract, which would have given you more responsibility.
31. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure?
You may say that you thrive under certain type of pressure. Give an example that relates to the type of
position applied for.
32. Do your skills match this job or another job more closely?
Probably this one. Do not give fuel to the suspicion that you may want another job more than this one.

33. What motivates you to do your best on the job?
This is a personal trait that only you can say, but good examples are: Challenge, Achievement,
Recognition.
34. Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Week ends?
This is up to you. Be totally honest.
35. How would you know you were successful on this job?
Several ways are good measures. You set high standards for yourself and meet them. Your outcomes are
a success. Your boss tells you that you are successful.
36. Would you be willing to relocate if required?
You should be clear on this with your family prior to the interview if you think there is a chance it may come.
Do not say yes just to get the job if the real answer is no. This can create a lot of problems later on in your
career. Be honest at this point and save yourself future grief.
37. Are you willing to put the interests of the organization ahead of your own?
This is a straight loyalty and dedication question. Do not worry about the deep ethical and philosophical
implications. Just say yes.
38. Describe your management style?
Try to avoid labels. Some of the more common labels like progressive, salesman or consensus can have
several meanings or descriptions depending on which management expect you listen to. The situational
style is safe, because it says you will manage according to the situation, instead of one size fits all.
39. What have you learned from mistakes on the job?
Here you have to come up with something or you strain credibility. Make it small, well intentioned mistake
with a positive lesson learned. An example would be working too far ahead of colleagues on a project and
thus throwing coordination off.
40. Do you have any blind spots?
Trick question. If you know about blind spots, they are no longer blind spots. Do not reveal any personal
areas of concern here. Let them do their own discovery on your bad points. Do not hand it to them.
41. If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for?
Be careful to mention traits that you are needed and that you have.
42. Do you think you are overqualified for this position?
Regardless of your qualifications, state that you are very well qualified for the position.
43. How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience?
First, if you have experience that the interviewer does not know about, bring that up; then point out (if true)
that you are a hard working quick learner.
44. What qualities do you look for in a boss?
Be generic and positive, safe qualities are knowledgeable, sense of humor, fair loyal to subordinates and
holder of high standards. All bosses think they have these traits.

45. Tell me about a time when you helped resolve a dispute?
Between others. Pick a specific incident. Concentrate on your problem solving technique and not the
dispute you settled.
46. What position do you prefer on a team working on a project?
Be honest. If you are comfortable in different roles, point that out.
47. Describe your work ethic?
Emphasize benefits to the Organization. Things like determination to get the job done and work hard but
enjoy your work are good.
48. What has been your biggest professional disappointment?
Be sure that you refer to something that was beyond your control. Show acceptance and no negative
feelings.
49. Tell me about the most fun you have had on the job?
Talk about having fun by accomplishing something for organization.
50. Do you have any questions for me?
Always have some questions prepared. Questions prepared where you will be an asset to the organization
are good. How soon will be able to be productive? And what type of projects will I be able to assist on?
And finally best of luck hope you will be successful in the interview you are going to face in the coming
days.
Never take someone for granted, hold every person close to your heart because you might wake up one
day and realize that you have lost a diamond while you were too busy collecting stones. Remember this
always in life.

What To Avoid During A Job Interview?
Answer: During the entire job hunting process, the most significant and tricky stage is the interview.
Candidates feel anxious and nervous before and during the interview process and cannot rest unless they
have heard back from the company. For some this phone call brings a sense of achievement with the news
that they have been selected for the job, but many receive no calls at all conveying that they have failed to
land the job. There might be many reasons why a candidate fails to get the job, most of which are related to
the interview process. Many candidates are under the impression that they did well in the interview and are
devastated when they are rejected. The fact is that most of the candidates have no idea that during the
interview session they might have committed some grave mistakes which cost them the job. These
mistakes are so common that most of the candidates repeat them over and over again without realizing the
damage they are doing to their career. If you think you are one of those candidates, there is no need to
panic as we have identified some of the most common mistakes made by candidates during an interview so
that you can avoid them in the future.
Most Common Interview Mistakes:

A lot of people make some serious mistakes during the interview which end up turning a job opportunity
into a disaster. In order to avoid making these mistakes we first need to identify these mistakes. Some of
the most common mistakes by a candidate during an interview are:
Being Late
A lot of candidates fail to appear for the interview on time and think that they can get away with a lame
excuse. Nothing throws the interviewer off like coming late to an interview and then failing to apologize. If
you are filing to arrive at the job interview on time, it gives the interviewer an impression that you are not
taking the job opportunity seriously and hence is not someone they were looking for. So to make a good
impression during the interview you should be there on time. If you fail to do that apologize for the delay
and reassure the interviewer that this is not a habitual practice.
Dressing Inappropriately
Dressing right is the most important part of an interview. Assuming that a casual dress might do for your
interview is a big mistake. If you have any doubts you can do a little research regarding the company
culture and find out what kind of dressing is expected. Nevertheless it is better to be overdressed rather
than being underdressed. Also, try to keep the accessories to a minimum so that you look professional.
Being Unprepared
Some candidates show up for an interview without even the slightest preparation and as a result fail to
answer any tough questions asked by the interviewer. Not researching about the company you are applying
to can also be fatal for the interview. Make sure that when you are appearing for an interview you know
what kind of work entails the job that you have applied for and you have a general idea of the company‟s
background.
Talking Too Much Or Too Little

Talking too much or saying next to nothing is also a mistake we have seen during an interview. You should
answer a question completely and then let the interviewer proceed to his next one. Blabbering uselessly
and interrupting the interviewer creates a bad impression. Similarly, answering the questions in
monosyllables and nor elaborating on anything also leaves the interviewer dissatisfied, thus minimizing
your chances of getting a job. It is also important to ask important and well thought questions related to the
job. Asking silly questions or not asking any questions at all is not the right approach also.
Badmouthing Your Employer

Nothing raises the red flags more than badmouthing your former employer in front of the interviewer as it
points towards a lack of professional maturity and failure to take responsibility. Trying to justify your
reasons for leaving the previous employer by criticizing him is a bad idea and should be avoided at all
costs. Even if your boss actually was a horrible person, there is no need to share that with the interviewer.
Keep your reasons for leaving the last job and your views about your previous boss professional.
Lying
You should never lie during an interview or provide false information on your resume. If you are qualified
and skilled enough for the position you have applied for, you will get the job. If however you feel like you
are not qualified for the job then you should not apply in the first place, no matter how desperately you want
the job. Lying in the interview certainly diminishes your chances of getting the job. Be open about your
weaknesses and strong points. When you state you weaknesses make sure that you also point out what
steps you have taken to address the particular weakness and how far have you succeeded in the effort.
Lacking Enthusiasm
Appearing disinterested and bored during the interview is one of the most fatal mistakes that can ruin your
chances of getting selected for the job. Show the employer that you care about the job and are excited at
the prospect of joining the company. If the interviewer senses that you are not interested in the job, he will
not call you for a second interview.
Asking About Benefits Too Soon

Bringing in the salary questions too soon and repeatedly raises the red flags as the interviewer senses that
you are not very interested in the job as much as the benefits and the money involved in it. You should wait
for the interviewer to bring up the salary negotiations as he will definitely ask you about the expected salary
range before the interview session come to an end.
Concluding Thoughts
The entire job hunting process from writing your resume to showing up at the interview and the follow up
after that requires a lot of effort and skill. In order to get the job you have to make sure that during all these
steps you have put up your best performance. Make sure that you do not make any of the mistakes
mentioned above and you will most definitely succeed in the interview process.

Dressing Right For The Interview.
Answer: Not to sound very cliché, but first impression lasts way longer than your first sentence especially if
you are going for a job interview. We all ask ourselves if our clothes really make a difference when we
know for sure that we are the right candidate for the applied job. The answer is an emphatic „yes‟, since
the first impression you make on the interviewer is going be an important factor in deciding whether or not
you will get the job.
People often neglect their outlook when going for an interview, as they do not realize the importance of
dressing and the overall outlook in impressing the interviewer. While there is no doubt that your
qualification, skills and education are the primary assets that help in getting the required job, it is also true
that the way you dress up for an interview will heavily affect your chances of getting the job.
When it comes to appearing for an important job interview, impeccable grooming is a must whether you are
applying for a high level managerial post or an entry level position. In fact, your appearance can actually set
the tone for the interview in the first few minutes and help the interviewer form an opinion about you, which
can enhance or diminish your prospects of bagging the job. You want to demonstrate to your possible
superior that you are a person who takes the interview process seriously and that you will be just as serious
about your job. The best way to send this message is by showing up to the interview properly dressed up.
According to research, many interviewers make up their minds about you during the first 15 seconds of the
meeting. While the job seekers prepare vehemently for the job interview, mastering their tactics, going
through the prospective employer and what not, very few people know how to properly dress up for an
interview. This is one of the most fatal mistakes a person can make when it comes to mishandling an
interview.
Dos and Don’ts of dressing up for an interview

In the wake of the recession, the competition surrounding every job has increased manifolds and one
cannot afford to lose points at any given facet. Here are a few things you can do to make sure that when
you appear for an interview you are properly dressed and have made no fatal mistakes in that area.
Outfit
The first thing that the interviewer is going to note about you when you enter the room is your dress. For an
interview you have to dress professional, even if the company‟s general dress code is casual. You cannot
show up in jeans and a T shirt and still hope to be taken seriously. Wear a proper suit in muted color tones
such as black or grey. Do not choose to wear an odd color since you might end up looking ridiculous. Make
sure that the clothes you wear to an interview have been freshly cleaned and are free of wrinkles. Nothing
makes a worse impression than wearing an untidy or wrinkled suit to a job interview. Make sure that you
pick out which suit or dress you are going to wear to the interview and then get it ironed or dry cleaned,
whatever the case may be. Also check to see that none of the shirt buttons are missing and no other
repairs are needed. Get the suit ready to be worn, the night before the interview. If your suits are too
outdated and are completely in contradiction with the current fashion trends, it is time to invest in a new
suit. You have to keep in mind that the investment is totally worth it since it can help in boosting your
career. You do not have to go out of the way and buy an expensive piece of clothing, just find something
decent and stylish within your price range.
Shoes
Make sure that the shoes that you wear are clean and traditional. Nothing can leave a worse impression
than a person wearing dirty shoes to an interview. For women, wearing unprofessional and uneasy shoes
gives the wrong signal. When you show up for a job interview, your entire persona should exude
professionalism so that the employers get the right message. Wear comfortable yet stylish shoes since you
are going to be working for 8 hours straight and your feet need to be the most comfortable.
Hair
Your hair should be freshly washed and neatly styled. Long, open and unruly hair leaves an unprofessional
impression. For women, it is ideal to wear their hair up rather than leaving it down, men should trim the hair
so that they give a neat and professional impression. It is advised that you give yourself a neat shave in
order to create a positive impression on the interviewer.
Perfume
While smelling good is always a plus, make sure that you do not drench yourself in cologne as it can have
a detrimental effect. Wearing too much perfume creates an uneasy aura when you are sitting with the
interviewer in a closed room. So, it is always better to keep a balanced approached when spraying on the
perfume. Moreover make sure that you choose to use a subtle fragrance so that it does not irritate the
interviewer.
Jewellery
When it comes to jewellery, simplicity is the way to go. Wearing a lot of ornaments makes you look
unprofessional and is distracting for the interviewer. A simple watch and a small pair of earrings is enough.
Wear anything else, and you risk ruining your first impression. Also it is better to simply avoid wearing any
jewellery, rather than wearing low quality things that ruin your overall look.
Makeup
While wearing makeup to an interview is essential, you have to be very careful regarding how to go about
it. Apply minimum makeup since you do not want to show up looking like a fashion model. You have to
appear practical in all aspects of your demeanour, so make sure that you apply make up to accentuate your
basic features rather than completely going overboard.
Final check
When you are all dressed up and about to leave for the interview, make sure that you check yourself in the
mirror from head to toe so that if something is amiss you can fix it before leaving.
Concluding thoughts
Scoring the perfect score in an interview is more than just having the right qualifications. Your personality,
dressing sense, the way you talk and the level of confidence you exhibit during the interview, are all very
important factors that help the interviewer in deciding your future. So make sure that you are fully prepared
to make the best impression as soon as you enter the room. So dress to perfection to score some points
with the interviewer right away. However, bear in mind that your dress alone will not do the job; you have to
be well prepared and confident during the interview as well.
Effective Job Interview Techniques

You could be the most qualified person in the room full of job seekers but a candidate less qualified is
offered the job because you lacked the interview etiquette. A job interview is somewhat like a social
conversation yet it requires more skills.
Here are some thoughts on what are considered effective job interviewing techniques.
WHAT EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR? During a job interview the employer is not only looking for your
qualifications, or you‟re skill-set. You have passed that first hurdle because he has already scanned them in
your CV beforehand. When you are called for an interview, besides being asked questions about your
ability to do the job based on your skill-set, there are other facets about you that the employer is going to be
assessing about you.
He is looking for the person who he/she has to work with. Is this the person I want to see every day? Can I
work with him? How is his personal attitude? How well he communicates? How does he carry himself?
Does he know what he has applied for? How is his appearance and attire? In short your every move, every
word and every gesture is taken notice off – either consciously or unconsciously – before the interviewer
decides to give you thumbs up.
WHAT SHOULD BE YOUR FOCUS? A job offer is your number one goal which cannot be stressed
enough. While you also want to assess the company where you are going to be working, it is primarily the
employer who is the giver of job, which he is going to decide after the interview. You are being interviewed
to see if you are good enough to get a job offer.
PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW:

Proper preparation is necessary for receiving a job offer.
Do Research
Best key is to browse company‟s website. Research about the company (size, products, annual sales
revenue, principal lines of business and locations, etc.). Knowing about the company will make you
confident during the interview and will reflect your genuine interest in the company. This is a point that
might differentiate you from another interviewee. Any employer feels good if the candidate he is
interviewing is knowledgeable about the place of his future employment.
Get logistic information beforehand

Know the exact place and time of the interview, interviewers‟ full name(s), correct pronunciation of his or
her title won‟t hurt either. It also helps to know how many people are involved in the interviewing process
and if there is a single decision maker.
Arrive early
Punctuality cannot be overstressed. It reflects your level of seriousness, your maturity and your level of
interest. Arrive exactly fifteen minutes before your actual appointment. Allow sufficient time for the
interview.
Dress appropriately
Remember that you have only one chance to make a good first impression. Attire yourself according to job
nature you are going to be interviewed for. For formal interviews men should wear a dark suit, white shirt, a
solid or striped tie, and black shoes. Women should wear the same colors. Women should wear the same
colours and keep their nails bare or wear neutral colored nail colour, no high heels, and a minimum of
make-up and no dangling jewellery. Prefer studs instead and a bracelet if necessary.
Remember it is important to attire yourself with care wearing neat & pressed clothes. What you are wearing
does not need to be expensive. It is supposed to pressed and carried well with style giving a professional
look. Keep a positive frame of mind. Set other concerns aside and focus on what you are going to
accomplish at the interview. Relax.
Ask questions
Another very important point. Employers will all acknowledge that when they ask the candidate if s/he has
any questions for them, and if the answer is no, how much it hurts the candidate‟s perception. Come on,
ask them a question or two, and show them that you are a curious person, someone who is interested in
the company and the interviewer‟s feedback about the company. It will endear you in the eyes of the
employer.
Perceptive questions will help both of you to determine if your relationship will be mutually gratifying.
Questions that relate to salary, benefits, vacations, and retirement should only be directed towards the HR
manager.
The job interview itself.

Let the interviewer set the tone and match your style with theirs, in accordance with your individual
personality. Although there is not one way of interviewing, there are standard steps that apply to every
interview process.
The first fifteen minutes

In every interview, there is a short interval before getting down to business, which is filled with small talk.
These minutes are the most precious time that can turn the table around in your favor. Respond with
enthusiastic and pleasant answers to remarks and questions to build a comfortable wavelength. Your
greeting should include a firm handshake, an enthusiastic hello, and lots of eye contact followed by an
introduction of yourself, if asked.
The remainder of the interview:
Follow the interviewer‟s leads but try to get the interviewer to describe the position and the duties
to you early in the interview process. This way, you may be able to apply your background, skills
and accomplishments to the position.
Try not to fidget, sweat or touch your face during the interview. Such actions show nervousness.
The more confident you seem the more positive chances for you to get the job. Try to maintain eye
contact and a smile on your face.
Establish rapport. Remember people hire those they feel most comfortable with.
Make sure that your good points come across to the interviewer in a factual, sincere manner.
Stress achievements. For example: sales records, processes developed etc.
Try not to end a sentence on a negative note like, “No, I haven‟t.” Try, “I have not done that but it
sounds interesting, and I am sure I can do an excellent job at it once given an opportunity to learn.”
Respond to questions being asked as they relate to the position. If asked about your background,
be specific and only talk about those aspects that relate to the particular position in question.
Candidates who go off on a tangent do not impress interviewers; stick to the relevant answer.
Once in a while, an interviewer who is genuinely interested in you may seem to discourage you as
a way of testing your reaction. If you get the impression do not let your discouragement show.
Make sure you talk about why you are interested in this position and what you can offer the
company.
Interview closure
Make an impression at the closing stage of the job interview as this will place you above other
competitors for the same position.
Tell the interviewer that you are excited about the position and find about the next step to show
your interest.
Make a statement that shows you can do the job and ask for an offer.
As you are preparing to leave, tell the employer how much you would enjoy working with him or
her personally and take leave.
Handle all interviews in the same way. Convince all parties in the interview process that you are
the right person for the job.
The candidate that shows the most enthusiasm for the job, the opportunity and the company is
usually the one that gets the offer.
Vague objective statement

Instead of a vague objective statement, develop a tagline about what you do or your particular area of
expertise.
Too job-oriented
Your resume should not merely be a list of the duties and responsibilities you had at each company you
worked for. Provide examples about how you achieved results and success. This may be a good area to
outline your strengths.
Using personal pronouns and articles

A resume is a form of business communication, so it should be concise and written in a telegraphic style.
There should be no mentions of "I" or "me" and a minimal use of articles.

Listing unnecessary information
You should only include your interests and hobbies if they‟re related to the job. For example, if you‟re
applying to become a nurse manager, you can include that you‟ve volunteered at hospitals throughout
college.
Not including a summary

Include a summary of your experiences that demonstrates your skills and achievements directly related to
the position you want (This may not be applicable in all cases unless you have extensive work experience).
Font Size
The font size for resume content should be 12 points.
File Type
Your resume should be saved in a plain/rich text format. Do NOT save it as in the form of a PDF file type
because it could exceed the maximum file size of 200 kilobytes accepted by many email severs.
Cultural Tips and Tricks
Salary Negotiation
Although negotiating salary, may be common in some places it is not recommended for the UAE market. It
may give the potential employer a negative impression about the candidate.
Work Environment
Typically, the work environment follows a fun and laidback attitude. It‟s not a typical North American culture
where an average individual works five days a week from 9-5pm. Don‟t be surprised if you find yourself
working overtime without overtime pay.
You can't get a job without at least one interview.
1. Greet your interviewer with a firm handshake and a smile, address your interviewer by name, and make
eye contact.
2. Never sit until asked to do so.
3. Ensure you are informed about the position and the organization before your interview. Wherever
possible get a job description or review the details of the position. Go to their web site. You should know
approximately what the salary range is for the position (particularly if going through an agency). Research
the organization and affiliations. Be aware of all products or services.
4. Make sure you are familiar with all dates and information on your resume. Be prepared to go into detail
and to give examples of various difficult work situations you have successfully handled.
5. Make sure you know the exact location and how to get there. Get there five to ten minutes early.
6. Dress should be appropriate, businesslike and conservative. Always look successful.
7. You may be asked to talk about yourself, but keep your entire life history for non-business situations! An
interviewer is interested in how you and your experience best suit the position and the company. Do not
take notes, and do not be concerned if your interviewer takes notes. Never speak negatively about present
or previous work situations.
8. At the end of the interview you may have an opportunity to ask questions. Express enthusiasm and
interest in the company and the position. Thank the interviewer for their time. You may ask what the next

step would be in their hiring process. Do not discuss money/salary during the interview, or ask about
benefits and vacation, unless the interviewer brings these subjects up for discussion. End the interview with
a handshake.
9. A follow-up note or thank you letter sent after the interview, if you are particularly interested in the
position and organization is a good way to keep your name visible. A follow-up call within a week is a good
idea, if you have not been contacted.
10. If an agency arranged the interview for you, call them immediately. It is important for the agency to get
your response about the position, before they talk to the employer. A positive response from you can often
lead to a positive response from the employer. Keep in touch with your agency.

INTERVIEW RELATERD
QUESTIONS.
Here is a list of tough interview questions. Always attempt to answer these questions with an on-the-job
example or experience to support it. Make sure that you are as prepared as you can be because you have
to assume your competition is.
Basic Quesitons:
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why have you decided to change jobs? Why are you looking?
3. Why did you leave your previous positions?
4. What motivates you?
5. Describe your ideal job.
6. Describe your ideal manager/supervisor.
7. What salary/rate are you looking for?
8. How do you spend your free time?
9. What are your short, medium and long-term goals?
10. How do you react to criticism?
11. Tell me about yourself. How would you describe yourself?
12. What are your long and short-range career goals?
13. What are the most important things you are seeking in a career?
14. What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
15. Site some examples of your ability to be a team player.
16. Why should I hire you?
17. How could you contribute to our organization?
18. Why did you choose the college you attended?
19. Why didn't you go to college?
20. What do you know about our organization?
21. Why are you interested in working for our organization?
22. What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
23. Are you willing to relocate?
24. What type of a work environment are you seeking?
25. What do you know about the position you are applying for?
26. What do you know about our industry?
27. What are you proudest of in terms of your accomplishments at you present position or former position?
28. What do you think will be the toughest aspects of the job if you were to accept the position? What will
be the most enjoyable aspects - the least enjoyable?
29. What do you think your greatest contribution will be or what aspects of the job or the company do you
think you would be able to make your greatest contribution to?
30. If you are selected for this position, how would you deal with the situation of individuals in the company
who were competitors for the job for which you are being interviewed and who may feel that they are better
qualified? (Some of them may be your subordinates.)
16 Questions You Can Ask:

1. To whom would I report?
2. What is the most important (crucial) part of this job?
3. What is your management style?
4. Is relocation necessary or mandatory after a certain period of time?
5. How much will I be expected to travel?
6. Could you describe your perception of an ideal candidate for this position?
7. What is a typical career path for this position?

8. What is your perception of what I'll be doing on a daily (weekly) basis?
9. What are some of your company's foremost aims and goals?
10. What are the short/long term goals for this department and how do they relate to the company as a
whole?
11. Where does this company see itself five years from now?
12. How would you describe the environment I'll be working in?
13. How would my performance be assessed?
14. Please describe the organization of the company.
15. When could I start?
16. What will be my main responsibilities for this position?
Reasons Why People Don't Get Hired:

1. Poor personal appearance
2. Lack of interest and enthusiasm: Passive, indecisive and indifferent.
3. Over emphasis on money: interested only in best dollar offer.
4. Condemnation of past employers.
5. Failure to look at the interviewer when speaking.
6. Limp, fishy handshake.
7. Unwillingness to travel or relocate to employers preferences.
8. Late for interview.
9. Failure to express appreciation for interviewer's time.
10. Asks no or poor questions about job.
11. Vague, indefinite response to questions.
12. Overbearing, over aggressive, conceited with superiority or "know it all complex."
13. Inability to express self clearly; Poor voice, diction, grammar.
14. Lack of planning for career; no purpose and goals.
15. Unwilling to start at the bottom; expects too much too soon.
16. Lack of confidence and poise, nervous, ill at ease.
17. Makes excuses, evasive, hedges on unfavorable aspects of job history.
18. Lack of tact or cynical.
19. Lack of courtesy; ill mannered.
20. Lack of maturity.
21. Wants job for short time.
22. No interest in company or industry.
23. Low moral standards.
24. Intolerant: strong prejudices.
SCANNABLE RESUMES
Human resource professionals in small, medium and large organizations are investing in new state of the
art computer systems to increase efficiency in storing and accessing resume information. By using artificial
intelligence capabilities, resumes are optically scanned into the computer system as an image. The
computer then "reads" the resume and creates a database of the applicant's relevant skills, degrees and
achievements in the form of key words. Employers then access a candidate's resume by searching for key
words.
To maximize potential employment opportunities, it is important to be prepared to submit an effective "scan

able resume". Develop your resume by using the following guidelines for format and content.
Keep it simple.
Standard serif and sans serif fonts work best. Avoid ornate fonts and fonts where the characters touch.
Font size is also important. Use sizes between 10 points and 14 points type size.

Italics and underlining cause problems for the scanner, especially if combined. Use bold face for emphasis
or ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.
Vertical or horizontal lines should be used sparingly. When used, leave at least a quarter of an inch of
space around the line.
Avoid graphics… and shading or shadowing.
Do not compress or expand the space between the letters or lines.
Do not double space within sections.
The resume you submit should be an original. It should be printed with a laser printer on white or light
colored 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper. Print on only one side.
Resumes which have been folded, stapled etc. will not scan well.
It is imperative that you describe your skills and accomplishments in key word phrases.
Use the language of your profession.
Nouns are more distinguishable to a computer than action verbs. Label yourself with phrases that describe
activities or experiences. For example: use "managed training and development" vs. "trained and
developed" or use "assisted with salary survey" vs. "surveyed salaries of..." You may also want to consider
a summary of accomplishments that focus on results not duties and responsibilities. Remember to keep the
resume basic in format, style and language.
ACTION VERBS
The bold and italicized words are effective for highlighting accomplishments.
Management skills Communication skills Research skills Technical skills Teaching skills
Administered Addressed Clarified Assembled Adapted
Analyzed Arbitrated Collected Built Advised
Assigned Arranged Critiqued Calculated Clarified
Attained Authored Diagnosed Computed Coached
Chaired Collaborated Evaluated Designed Communicated
Co-ordinate Corresponded Examined Engineered Co-ordinate
Delegated Developed Identified Maintained Developed
Developed Directed Inspected Operated Enabled
Directed Drafted Interpreted Overhauled Evaluated
Evaluated Edited Interviewed Programmed Explained
Improved Enlisted Investigated Remodeled Facilitated
Increased Formulated Organized Repaired Guided
Initiated Influenced Reviewed Upgraded Informed
Integrated Interpreted Summarized Instructed
Organized Lectured Surveyed Persuaded
Oversaw Mediated Systematized Set goals
Planned Moderated Stimulated
Prioritized Negotiated Trained
Produced Persuaded
Recommended Promoted
Reviewed Publicized
Scheduled Reconciled
Supervised Recruited
Translated
Interview practice session - sample interview questions

SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS
1. Tell me about yourself
2. How do you manage your time to meet deadlines? Have you ever had more to do than you could
accomplish? How did you handle it?
3. What kind of things do you feel most confident doing?
4. What things frustrate you the most? How do you usually cope with frustration?
5. In what area have you shown your greatest improvement in the last two years?
EDUCATION RELATED QUESTIONS:
6. What extracurricular activities were you active in? What made you choose them? Which of them did you
enjoy the most? Why?
7. What skills did you develop through your university education? How will these help you in a job?
8. What was the most important thing you have learned at university?
9. If you were to start university again tomorrow, what courses would you select? Why?
10. What type of educational upgrading do you plan to undertake in the future?
EMPLOYMENT RELATED QUESTIONS:
11. What type of work do you feel you are best suited for? Why?
12. Describe a previous work experience you really disliked and explain why you disliked it.
13. In past jobs, what achievements were recognized by your supervisor?
14. Can you recall a time when your work was criticized? Describe the situation and your response.
15. Describe your ideal work environment.
16. In previous work positions, did you initiate any new procedures, systems, programs or activities?

Heading For An Interview? Is your
“First Impression, The LAST”?
Answer: A phrase that we have been using time and again. The fact is, it is a profound truth. And it gets at
play the most when one heads for the ultimate nerve-juggling task. A Job Interview!
Your first interview for a job unarguably is that decisive moment which has the tendency to influence your
entire life, be it personal or be it professional. Have you ever imagined that this moment, if it turns in your
favour, will determine the type of outfits you will wear to work, the sort of friends you are going to keep, the
kinds of associations you will have to build, the lifestyle you will be leading, to the extent of the rank of
schools your children are going to attend? And this makes me wonder, how can we just get away by taking
it for a joke?
Showing up late every time, and at times not showing up at all. Devoid of any sense of propriety or
common courtesy, we don‟t feel the obligation to call our interviewers in advance and letting them know we
won‟t be able to make it. We are becoming lamer in our excuses even. Can‟t we be just a little more
creative?
And at times turning up in those dodgy slacks and at others in flip-flops! Will we ever understand the gravity
of “any” situation at all?
A job interview is nothing more than a game of impressions; it commences and concludes with the full
impact of one word “impression”. Hence it asks for your preparedness for each phase as it unfolds from the
beginning to the end, but before that some quick tips:
Do’s and don’t

Make prior arrangements for transportation and other pitfalls ahead of time. It‟s advisable to reach at your
venue 10 to 15 minutes ahead of time. This displays punctuality and due diligence. While waiting for the
interview try keeping your communication around minimal, as you don‟t want to be influenced by anyone‟s
negativity or suffer “He is better than me” complex. It‟s your time to outshine everyone, hence stay focused.
Switch off the cell phone. And yes putting it on vibration mode is not silencing it.
Once the do‟s and don‟ts are taken care of, vaguely, divide this event into the following phases:
Phase#1
Pre-event Prep
Do some research, gain background knowledge of the company you will be visiting. Google it! Ask
friends or family, neighbors! Ask anyone around you who works or has worked for this
organization.
Also try finding some information on the JD (Job Description) of the position you are going to be
interviewed for. JDs are available in the advert and some general research can provide you with
the requisite insight. The JD enlists major tasks and responsibilities that are expected from the
person being considered for the position
If possible, find out who your interviewer is. You may hit a common ground with them e.g.
backgrounds, schooling, neighborhoods, interests, hobbies etc. It‟s natural for someone going
through your CV to stop if they come across a commonality. Most employers deliberately try to
ease up the situation through general chitchat at the beginning of the interview. But don‟t get
carried away by this. Always remember you can win them only through manners, talent and
professionalism. Try using it to your benefit and kill hostility towards and against you but don‟t
derail.
Then comes the time to work on your physical appearance. Personal grooming is an important
factor. Keep a keen eye on your personal hygiene: clean nails, properly kept hair nicely ironed
clothes and polished shoes. Choose something formal yet comfortable. If you are uncomfortable
with what you are wearing it may manifest your feeling in ways like fidgeting nervously with the
sleeves and shoulders of the outfit. And this holds true for men and women alike. You may seek
advice from someone whom you and others trust with a dress sense.
Once you have assured yourself on the most befitting outfit and organized yourself for the
occasion, don‟t forget the last finishing touches. Adorn that genuine air of pleasantness and
positivity about yourself. Remember! The interviewers are more interested in YOU, than your
clothes. So, wear a smile! And stay calm & composed but pleasant!
You may take with you a pen, a small notepad and an extra copy of your resume. If you normally
use business cards on meetings take a stack along but don‟t put them somewhere you have to
fumble through to retrieve. Keep it where you can find them conveniently, yet promptly.

Phase #2
During The Interview
Be gentle and courteous. Show mannerism; remember your evaluation started the moment you
stepped inside. Seek permission before entering the room, wait for the employer to offer you a
seat. Extend a warm hand if offered a handshake, otherwise take your seat.
Remember, communication is the essential weaponry. And you are the person who is expected to
do most of the talking, so for most part this is one-way. Normally the first question asked is to
introduce you. Do so! Listen very carefully to your evaluator‟s following questions. Pay utmost
attention to avoid rephrases or repeats. Answer clearly and precisely. Keep your composure, sit
straight and look sharp attentive. It‟s time to match with their wave length. Express your interest in
the job and the company using information you gathered earlier.
Undue passion while answering makes you seem desperate, can intimidate your interviewer(s),
moreover it can cause unnecessary palpitation and nervousness in you.
While answering the questions be very clear and to the point. Keep the replies in a positive mode.
Speaking positively of former employers would reflect well on you. Cribbing about your ex-bosses
or company makes the interviewer wonder if you are the “high-maintenance” type.
Keep in mind that you are hired to share the work-load not being a liability. Explain to the interviewer how
your experience and training is going to make you a productive part of the organization in the shortest-
possible time with minimal supervision required. No matter what, never lie about your experience or
qualifications.
Phase#3
Concluding The Interview
When the interviewer is done with the questions and you are asked “if there is a question you need to ask”
then don‟t hesitate. But don‟t let yourself be swept away by this to straight away jump to the salary
question, if you may have it. Begin by saying “Just a couple of quick questions”.
If you have the salary question in mind start by asking about the career-path first. Ask them where
you should see yourself 2-3 years down the road. This leaves a positive impression on the
employer that you are considering a long-term employment.
You may follow the career-path question with the salary question. The precedence of these
questions matter a lot. If followed in the above-mentioned order you are implying that for you
career matters more than the salary, which is a very forward-looking attitude.
If there is no reference to whether or not you should have any hopes to get the job, you can inquire
when you may call to find out about the decision.
In case you are asked by the interviewer to call or return for another interview, make a written note
of the time, date and venue so you don‟t forget later on.
Phase # 4
After The Interview
Thank the interviewer(s). Don‟t forget to return all salutations with a smile at all times. Bid farewell with an
even confident and reassuring smile without regard to what the outcome of the interview will be.
By following the above procedure to the best of your abilities, you can assure yourself that you are
completely prepared to leave behind a lasting impression on the interviewer and you have improved
chances to bag this job. Your lucky stars have started shining brighter.
Be confident, be yourself and nail it well.

How To Master Tricky Interview
Questions? Bell The Cat!
Q1. Your resume suggests you are over-qualified/more experienced for this position. What’s your
opinion?
A question like this is categorized as a behavioural question. Such a question is generally asked to get an
idea about your knowledge about the position you have applied for. That is, if you know for sure what the
position is and do you know about its market value. It is also sometimes asked to throw you off-balance and
to see how you react. Shrewd interviewers employ such techniques to better understand a candidate‟s
personality, to judge your general reaction and attitude as a qualified professional.
To answer such a question you must focus and talk about your skill set and professional background to-
date and balance it with the job requirements without going into the murky details of formulating a personal
opinion about being over-qualified; simply state the facts. Emphasize your interest in establishing a long-
term association with the organization and make a point that powerful companies always have tough teams
& experienced executives who always keep them on the top. Since you are a qualified professional so you
have every faith that the company will get a fast return on its investment by hiring you. You can say that, “A
growing, dynamic company can never have too much talent.” Exude confidence but do not let the
interviewer feel that you are over confident.
Q2. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Although this question may seem as though you should answer with a positive answer for your strengths
and a negative for your weaknesses, try to give two positive answers. When discussing your strengths
highlight strengths that specifically apply to the available post. When indicating your weaknesses never
detail a character defect rather try to explain where you identified a problem area where you were able to
remedy it and explain how you did so.
Q3. Why are you leaving (did you leave) your present (last) job?
Again the employer, by asking such a question, wants to know if you are a dedicated, goal oriented person
who is serious about a career with his company. Do not give a long-winded answer. Try to keep it very brief
and to the point and as honest as you can without hurting yourself. For example if you were laid off in an
across-the-board cutback, say so; otherwise, indicate that the move was your decision and the result of
your action. Avoid mentioning personality conflicts. Under no circumstances talk ill about your previous
employer as the person interviewing you will take an impression that you might talk about your new boss in
the same context if you two ever go on wrong ends. The interviewer may spend some time probing you on
this issue, particularly if it is clear that you were terminated. The “We agreed to disagree” approach may be
useful. Remember that your references are likely to be checked, so don‟t fabricate a story for an interview.
Q4. In your current (last) position, what features do (did) you like the most/least?
Similarly, as mentioned before, you should be very careful and positive while answering this question. You
will not want your future boss to jump to a wrong conclusion that you are a difficult employee who likes
picking out flaws in the company. A negative image at any stage of the interview can prove fatal so be very
focused and positive about every word that comes out of your mouth. If you make your last job sound
terrible, an interviewer may wonder why you remained there until now. Pick not more than one thing that
would be considered a bad practice professionally everywhere. In this regards, the interviewer will not be
able to argue with you. If you can back up with anything you did to improve the practice, it will be
considered a plus.
Q5. How successful do you think you’ve been so far?

Confidence is the key to answer this question while over confidence can create a problem here. This
question is actually asked to see if you exude over confidence while answering or you give a humble
answer while knowing perfectly well about your success rate during your professional career. Although the
type of job being interviewed for may dictate the amount of chutzpah you want to display here but a general
rule of thumb is to stay safe with a more low-key, just-the-facts type of an answer. You can say that, all-in-
all you are happy with the way your career has progressed so far. List your key achievements and what
was their impact to your employer(s).
Q6. Where do you see yourself five years from now?

This question is asked to see if you are a career oriented person & how seriously you have thought about
your career. More importantly, it is used to gauge if the company can offer you a growth path that is in line

with your aspirations. The employer also wants to see if you have that vigor and energy that the company
requires for a team leader or simply a team member. Remember that a focused and target oriented
employee is always an attraction for the employer. So here it is for you to establish that you are very
particular about your goals in future. You can tell the interviewer that you would like to grow with the
company and you will make sure that your every effort is directed towards becoming a successful and
reliable part of the company.
Following are some questions asked from individuals being interviewed for managerial positions:
A. What do you look for when you hire people?

This question is asked to see that if you are given the task to hire people for your team in future, will you be
clear as to who you want on your team for the specific job completions. In short what kind of a team maker
are you? This is again a question to gauge your decision making power. A safe answer is that you will
prefer people with good skills, initiative and adaptability to be able to work comfortably and effectively with
others and those who appear capable of moving up in the organization. Start with a more generic answer
and end with a comment to the interviewer that hiring criteria varies from one job to another and you will
change what you look for in an employee based on the job description.
B. Have you ever fired any staff? How did you handle the situation?
Firing of staff is not an easy situation to deal with and it needs a proper procedure to follow. For those of
you who have been on managerial positions know that such tasks are pretty nasty. Generally such a
situation is not much discussed. But if you are asked this question admit that the situation was not easy, but
it worked out fine for the company and, you think, for the individual as well. You can say that you don‟t
enjoy unpleasant tasks but you can resolve them efficiently and -in the case of firing someone- humanely.
C. What do you think is the most difficult thing about being a manager/ executive?
Being a manager is a position of responsibility. Companies rely on these people for their facing challenges,
smooth working and successful target achievements. So the interviewer wants to see how a committed
manager they can find in you. You can start by saying that nothing particularly is too difficult but each task
brings with itself a set of its own challenges and a good manager learns from each task. Some of the more
challenging tasks have been working with difficult employees (be ready for a follow-up question as to how
you dealt with them), motivating employees to work under tight deadlines, and working with difficult clients.

What Is The Appropriate Answer To The
“Why Should We Hire You” Question
Posed By The Employer?
I have been following your newsletter for some time now and the helpful tips provided for the job seekers
have to be appreciated. It is entirely true that interview is the most important and difficult part of the job hunt
and one needs to give perfect answers in order to get the job. I have given some interviews in the past and
although I do not find myself ill-equipped to answer the questions posed by the employer, I face difficulty in
answering one particular question. Towards the end of the interview, the interviewer once asked me to give
reasons why he should hire me over all the other applicants. I find this question extremely difficult to
answer as one cannot differentiate between bragging and presenting your positive points. Not all employers
have asked me this question but I want to be prepared to answer this question in case it comes up during
an interview again. Please help me in addressing this issue and provide some helpful suggestions as to
how one can answer this tricky question during an interview.
Answer: It is a very common problem faced by many jobseekers as the question often confuses them and
they do not know how to answer the given question. Some of the more experienced job seekers know that
they can be asked this question and have prepared an answer accordingly but others might be taken by
surprise and fail to answer the questions satisfactorily.
The reason why the prospective employers ask this question is to evaluate what the candidate will bring to
the company, if hired. The employers judge the candidate on his ability to position himself properly during
the interview and manage to present his positive qualities to his own advantage to get the job. A person
who cannot even advocate his own suitability for the job is seldom a perfect candidate.
The key to answering this question is to keep the job description in mind and then present the benefits you
can bring to the company in light of that specific job. Some of these basic benefits can include:
Improving the efficiency level of the team

Effective time management
Save company money by enhancing team performance
Generating more income by increasing sales
Implementing problem solving strategies
All of the above mentioned qualities are what basically the employer wants to see in a prospective
employee. Make sure you specify where you can help the company with and how each of the above
mentioned properties can help the company. For this purpose it is important that you carry out a
comprehensive research before you go to the interview. Every company has a website so check out the
company‟s website and learn the basics.
Secondly, you should focus on the personal qualities you have which make you suitable for the job. For
instance:
Punctuality
Additional Skills acquired during past jobs
Communication Skills
Adaptability
Willingness to learn and evolve
It is important to remember that the purpose of this question is to evaluate your level of competence.
Bragging about yourself and presenting qualities which are not actually in you can create a negative
impression on the employer.
We hope you will be able to answer the question without any hesitation in the next interview.

Avoid Job Interview Stress.
Answer: As soon as we get an interview call, the first reaction is excitement and joy which is immediately
followed by anxiety. There are millions of questions in our mind such as, what should be the perfect attire?
What will be the interviewer like? How difficult will the questions be? The anxiety and stress a person
accumulates waiting for the interview often lead to making some mistake during the interview process.
Being stressed before and during a job interview is very common and some people experience this fear of
appearing in an interview even after being in the professional field for years. However, different people feel
this anxiety at different levels as some only feel slight anxiety while others feel panicked and completely out
of sorts. People who face mild anxiety can easily hide it and appear perfectly composed during the
interview but those who face extreme cases of anxiety before the interview, often end up creating a poor
impression on the interviewer.
Signs Of Extreme Job Interview Stress:
There are a few signs which can clearly indicate if you are suffering from extreme stress before or during
an interview:
Sweating profusely, so much so that even the palms of your hands are wet
Dry and scratchy throat
Head ache, fidgety hands
Failure to remember important information such as the time or place of interview
Controlling Your Stress Level

Since the anxiety and fear of interview faced by a job-seeker is psychological, it is not difficult to control this
anxiety by a little motivation and practice. In order to be successful in your job hunt you need to nail the
interview which cannot be done unless you are calm and controlled. Panicking and losing your calm can be
fatal for the interview. By following a few simple rules and tips, you can easily control your stress level prior
to an interview session. Some of the suggested measures for controlling your panic level are given below:
Sleep Well:
Getting a full night‟s rest is essential if you are hoping to be calm and stress-free for the interview. Staying
up late can make you feel nervous and fidgety and will definitely have an effect on your performance during
the interview. Sleeplessness is known to cause many problems and affects the performance of an
individual negatively. So it is important to get rest and sleep for no less than 6 to 8 hours before the
interview.
Time It Right:
The most important factor in an interview session is the timing as it can help you in remaining calm during
the interview. You should reach the venue about 15 to 20 minutes before the interview and keep yourself
focused on the job. Arriving too early will give you too much time to sit and contemplate which will make
you nervous and arriving at the nick of time will make you anxious as well. So stick to the middle ground.
Reduce Its Importance:

One of the most successful techniques to eliminate stress and pressure is to readjust your thinking and
persuade yourself that the interview is not that big a deal and even if you fail to get this job, there will be
other chances. Over time, you can persuade your mind to relax and the tension will evaporate. This
technique has been suggested by psychologists and many jobseekers apply this to boost their confidence
level prior to an important job interview.
Research & Prepare:

Most of the time, jobseekers are stressed because they feel that they are ill prepared for the interview. So if
you want to reduce your stress level before an interview, it is advisable to prepare well by researching the
internet and finding out relevant information about the company, job description, responsibilities etc. Thus
when you are well prepared, you will be better able to answer questions in an interview session. The
confidence that you can answer questions in an interview and you are prepared for them will help in
eliminating the stress factor.
Practice Till Its Perfect:

The common things which make the jobseekers nervous include presenting yourself to the interviewer,
introducing himself and answering questions without pausing too much. In order to make sure that you do

not feel nervous during the interview, you should practice mock interviews repeatedly. When you have
attained a certain level of command over different steps of an interview process your anxiety level will come
down automatically.
Think Positive:
Positive thinking can change the entire outcome of the interview as you can control your anxiety and
tension by controlling your mind. By thinking that you will definitely get the job, you can boost your
confidence level and manage to feel relaxed.
Breathing Exercises:
Breathing exercises can help in keeping yourself calm and composed during the interview. If you begin to
panic before the interview, just close your eyes and breathe deeply. Keep your mind blank and continue
this for 5 to 10 minutes after which you will feel composed and calm.
Be Yourself:
It is an acknowledged fact that a person feels most relaxed when he is open and acts natural rather than
trying to be someone he is not. Most people try to act like someone else during the interview process which
increases the stress level and they end up making a poor impression. It is best if you be yourself during the
interview and answer questions simply.
Think of Answers Beforehand:

Since most of the questions asked during an interview are generic and quite common, it is better if you
have prepared answers to some of these questions in advance. Having prepared answers will help you in
remaining calm and controlled as there will be no element of surprise.
Improvise:
When you have prepared your answers in advance, make sure that you are not sticking to them word by
word as this can lead to panic if you happen to say something that was not rehearsed. Be prepared to
improvise and spin the words around a little so that you can answer the question with confidence and in a
relaxed manner.

How Much Salary Should I Demand In
An Interview?
Question: I have read your articles on appearing for an interview and have found them most helpful, but I
have a problem that I need you to help me with. I become very confused while answering questions that
revolve around the salary issue. For instance, in an interview when I was asked by the interviewer how
much salary was I expecting. Although I had a figure in my head, I felt like I would be laughed at if I
demanded that amount and so I quoted something much lower to what I wanted to ask. Later on I regretted
my decision but it was already too late. When I received a call from the employer they offered me
something even lower than what I had quoted. As a result I had to turn it down and keep looking for a job.
Also once before I was turned down from a job because I demanded salary that was too high. Now, I have
another interview coming up and I do not want to make a mistake when asked about the salary
expectations. Please help me deal with the issue properly.
Answer: The question of salary is something that every candidate dreads. Of course you want to get a
salary that compensates you for your hard work, but at the same time you do not want to appear greedy
and someone who only wants the job for the money. This is a tricky question and the answer that any
candidate give can either make him succeed or fail in the entire interview session.
There are a few things that you need to take into account before going for an interview and answering the
question regarding the salary range.
Do your research and find out the general and accepted pay scale for the position you are applying
for and make sure that you keep your demand within the salary range your demand within the
salary range.
Keep in mind that the employers will offer you a salary package that is definitely less than what you
have demanded. So when you demand a pay make sure that you have kept the margin of
bargaining.
Do not have extraordinarily high expectations. You must know you limits when demanding a pay
scale. You cannot ask for managerial pay scale at an entry level positions.
Do not be shy. If you have researched and are sure that you deserve a certain pay scale, then
there is no need to be shy. Be confident and put your demands forward. Even if your demands are
too high for the employer, he will neither laugh at you nor will he reject you on that basis alone. If
you are a worthy candidate, the employer will get in touch with you to negotiate the salary.
While negotiating the salary do not be too rigid, make some room for the employer‟s demand and
try to meet somewhere in the middle. You have to remember that once hired, you can performance
well to show the employer what you are worth and thus ask for a raise later on.
We hope that the suggestions put forward by us will prove helpful in your upcoming interview. Do write
back to us in case of any concerns or any more queries.

How Do I Explain Why I Left My Last
Job?
Question: I have a serious problem and need help to deal with it efficiently so that I can advance my
career without doing any more harm than I probably have done already. I am a web developer and had
been working in an IT firm for the last six months. Before that I worked in another firm where the work was
good and the pay was mediocre, but the environment was excellent. However, when I shifted to this firm I
could immediately see the difference in the attitudes of the people in the two firms. Here no one wants the
other to succeed and most of the employees are busy in leg pulling and backbiting. However, the thing that
totally drove me crazy was the attitude of mu boss. He was an arrogant man who constantly berated be
from the day that I walked in and made my life miserable. Any ideas that I gave were immediately rejected
by him and he often degraded me for coming up with such ideas. I also noticed that if his favourite
employee gave the same idea as min, he would appreciate him immensely. Moreover he never gave me
clear guidance and became furious with me if I failed to comprehend some part of the job. Eventually my
patience ran out and I walked off in frustration without even giving the two weeks‟ notice. Now I am faced
with the dilemma as to how to explain why I left my job without finding another one, during job interviews. I
would highly appreciate if you can guide me to the right answers.
Answer: It is true that explaining to the interviewer why you left your last job can be hard, especially when
you do it without even giving notice to the employer. However, your situation is not beyond help and some
effective measures can be taken to resolve the issue. Feeling undervalued and unrecognized at work is
one of the most common reasons why employees quit their jobs. The only thing you have to do is to make
sure that you are prepared to answer the question confidently and truthfully. Keep in mind that you have to
appear professional in front of the interviewer. Here are a few tested and tries tips that will help you with the
problem.
Be concise:
Make sure that you have thought about the answer to this question and have prepared a response. Give a
brief and honest response, not more than two to three sentences. If you start rambling, it may seem that
you are trying to justify the reasons or that you are being untruthful. Always be direct and focused while
answering such a critical question and try to sound positive.
Don’t badmouth your boss:

Regardless of the reasons you left your job, don‟t speak badly or criticize your previous employer. Doing so
makes the interviewer wonder if you will be bad-mouthing his company when you leave this job. Sugarcoat
everything you say so that the interviewer does not get a bad impression. Try using statements like, “My
boss and I had very different opinions on how to do things and found it mutually benefiting if we parted
ways”
Take responsibility:
You should be prepared to take responsibility for your part. Blaming everything on the boss and the
company leads the interviewer to conclude that you are hiding something since there are always two sides
to a story.
Be honest:
You have to keep in mind that you cannot lie about the reasons why you quit your job. The managers might
decide to look into the references provided by you and might even get in touch with your previous
employers. If it happens and you have lied, you immediately stand to lose the chance of getting the job.

How do I define myself effectively in
“three words?”
Question: I am a Mechanical Engineer. In one of my career interviews the interviewer asked me to define
myself in three words and why they should select me and reject others. I was not able to provide a
satisfying answer. Share with me some comments.
Answer: Employers look for a well-rounded person when they are hiring an employee. Once you have
satisfied the interviewer that you are a good Mechanical Engineer he may still probe you for further
answers to get a better understanding of your overall personality. Research has shown that employers
value following characteristics in candidates. Although all of these traits are important, however, depending
on the nature of the job, some are more important than others:
• Excellent communication skills
• Trustworthy / Responsible / Mature
• Good organizational / Time management skills
• Team player
• Able to work well under pressure / Loves challenges
• Hard worker / Energetic / Self-motivated
• Having analytical skills
• Dedicated to meet deadlines / Persists until job is done
• Adaptability to changes
• Good People Skills
You need to review this list and see which ones apply to you. It is not a bad idea to see which areas need
improvement and determine what you can do to enhance yourself.
With regards to your second question as to why the employer should hire you, you need to refer back to the
first question: What characteristics do you possess from the above list which qualifies you as a
model employee?
In other words, where you might lack in the number of years in experience or the level of degree from other
candidates, you can make-up in these important, more “softer” areas. A person with more experience and a
long string of degrees maybe turned down by an employer to hire a candidate that shows more
enthusiasm, dedication to job and adaptability to change at work.

Applying For A HR Position: Which
Questions To Expect In The Interview?
Answer: Preparing for a job interview can be tough but it is even harder to prepare for an interview for a
HR related position. Many candidates seek help in preparing for an interview and we have comprehensively
covered the important questions asked during an interview in previous newsletters. However in an interview
for a HR position the employers ask questions that are quite different from the questions asked in any other
interview.
If you are planning to apply for a HR related position, here are some questions which you need to make
sure you can answer and be prepared for them.
What are your qualifications as a Human Resources Professional which are applicable in this
position?
This is the most basic question that all employers ask any candidate who applies for a HR related job. You
need to be specific in answering this question and mention those qualifications and experiences that are
relevant to the job specifications mentioned by the employer. This helps the employer in judging how you
can be useful to their organization. Also experience in taking interviews, screening applications, payroll,
policy making and other hiring tasks is important for any HR related job.
What do you wish to achieve from this job?

This question helps the employer determine your dedication to professional life so don‟t ever answer in
term of monetary benefits as that will give the worst impression. Instead, talk about learning experience and
career growth which is a result of working for an organization like the one you are applying to.
What was the most difficult presentation that you’ve had to make? How did you overcome the
difficulty?
HR professionals have to give presentations not only to the directors but also to the employees and
sometimes even the clients. So having good presentation skills and being able to handle difficult situations
during the presentation make you a good candidate for any HR related position.
Have you ever imparted training to any employee? If so, how was the experience?
Since HR professionals are often required to train newcomers and guide them about the various office
trends, it is important that the person hired at a post related to HR can train employees.
Have you been involved in any recruitment efforts at your previous jobs? How do you deal with
particularly difficult recruitments?
The most important task of a HR professional is to help the organization in its recruitment efforts by
streamlining the process for the CEO or the director. The HR department is responsible for short listing the
ideal candidate for any given job and helping the organization in making the right decision. So you need to
be able to provide references of the recruitment assignments you have undertaken in the past and the
success ratio of the candidates that have been hired as a result of this recruitment drive.
What do you think is most important to ensure employee satisfaction?

The HR department is responsible for making and upgrading company policies. Most of these policies
affect the employees directly or indirectly and hence have an impact on the general employee satisfaction.
If you are applying for a HR related position it is important that you are aware of which factors affect the
satisfaction level and how can you boost the satisfaction level of these employees.
How good are you at handling conflicts at work?

Handling conflicts at work is an integral part of HR and a person who is good at handling conflicts at work
can be an asset to the team. There is no organization where there are no conflicts between employees,
management and clients. So you need to know how to handle a conflict at work without letting it have any
effect on the working of the organization.
When answering this question during an interview, make sure that you can quote an actual example of a
conflict which you helped resolve in the past and how that improved the working situation.

Where do you see yourself in five years?
This is a pretty standard question that all employers ask the candidate whether he is applying for a HR
related position or any other. The main purpose is to find out if you are planning to stay with the company
for a considerable time in order to meet your long term goals or if this is just a temporary stop till you find a
better job.
Make sure that you have a list of the long term goals and see where you actually want to be in five years.
You can tell where you started from, what you have achieved so far and where you want to be in the next
five years so that the employer gets a sense of commitment from you.

ON GOING JOB TIPS
What Qualities Should I Possess To

Become A Good Manager?
Question: I have been working in development sector for the last three years. I have expertise in different
NGO related sectors such as, community mobilization, social organization, training coordination, project
implementation, data analysis, report writing and monitoring and evaluation. I have had a great career so
far and have excelled at my job. Now I think it is time for me to move up the corporate ladder and I want to
join a managerial level position in any national or international organization. However I am not sure whether
I will be able to get selected in a managerial position or not. Moreover if I am selected for a managerial
level job, I am not sure if I will be able to perform the tasks assigned to me effectively and efficiently. Please
give me some relevant information regarding what qualities should a person possess in order to get a job at
a managerial level and what are the steps for management and administration once a person is selected
for the job. Tell me what attributes should be present in me to become an effective project manager. I shall
be obliged to hear from u soon.
Answer: The fact that you have worked in so many different NGO sectors means you have gained
considerable experience. With such rich experience you have no reason to doubt yourself and wonder if
you will be selected at a managerial position. If you go to the interview properly prepared there is no need
to worry. Here is a checklist of things you need to take care of, to succeed in the interview:
Find a job opportunity that corresponds to your expertise and level of education so that you do not
have to face unnecessary disappointment. You can do this by looking at the job requirements given
in an advertisement or by making inquiries by calling the numbers given in an advertisement.
Do research on the company you are applying to.
Be well groomed for the interview.
Practice all your answers again and again.
Create a professional resume.
Be on time.
Be confident.
As far as possessing managerial skills and attributes essential for being a good manager are concerned,
here are a few qualities that you must work on:
Be organized:
To be an effective manager you must be organized and able to take care of all the tasks at hand effectively
and efficiently. As a manager you have to handle all the team members and you cannot do this unless you
are well-organized. You should be able to manage your time effectively and meet all deadlines. If you fail to
meet the deadlines, your team members will stop respecting you and taking you seriously.
Be a dependable leader:
As an effective manager you should be someone whom the team members trust and can turn towards
when they need help or guidance. You have to be open and easy to access.
Keep the communication doors open:

Communication is the key to being a good leader. Not only should you possess excellent communication
skills but you also have to make sure that your team members polish their communications skills as well.
They have to be able to communicate their problems and ideas to you as well as other team members.
Be fair:
Being fair when managing your team member is essential as the team members can breed a lot of
resentment if you take credit for their work or give preferential treatment to one or more team members. Be
fair and honest and try to keep the morale of the entire team up.
Stay calm and be able to take pressure:

The most important quality that a leader must have in his possession is a calm attitude and ability to work
well under pressure. If a person fails to take pressure and panics when deadlines approach, he is unable to
handle his team effectively.
We hope the suggestions given above will help you in becoming a good manager.
Wishing you success in all your future endeavours.

Soft Skills:Your Way Up The
Professional Ladder.
Answer: In order to succeed in your professional life, it is important that not only you have the required
technical skills but also a host of soft skills which help you in performing better at work. Many people are
not familiar with the term soft skills. Soft skills is term used to refer to your personal attributes and qualities
such as dealing with people, communication skills, punctuality etc. Everyone has some basic soft skills and
by polishing these skills and acquiring more skills you can easily progress in your professional life.
Here are some of the top soft skills which you need in order to make your mark in the professional field:
Team Management Skills:

Team management skills are most valuable to any organization as it dictates that you are able to manage,
direct and motivate other team members. Team management is not a single skill but it includes a number of
smaller soft skills that are essential for effective team management. These skills include command over
language both oral and written, ability to delegate work properly, being good at resolving conflicts etc.
When employers interview a candidate, they rank team management as a highly desirable skill in the
candidate.
Communication Skills:
Effective communication plays a very important role in the smooth functioning of any organization, be it
written or oral. If you have good communication skills, you can negotiate any problems that may arise at
work. Communication skills are ranked highly by the employer and during the interview session the
employer will check your communication capabilities and make hiring decision based on that.
Time Management Skills:

Being able to finish your work on time and meeting project deadlines is highly appreciated in any
organization and the better you are at time management the more work you can get done in the same time
period.
Writing Ability:
Having command over the language and being able to transform your thoughts to words is a very valuable
asset in any candidate. It does not dictate that you have to be extraordinarily good at writing but you must
be able to present your ideas and concepts in a clear and concise manner. Moreover, the written document
should be free of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.
Organizational Skills:
Having organizational skills is a must for any candidate, regardless of the position or kind of job he is
applying for. If you have good organizational skills you will be better able to work on things and prioritize
tasks based on their importance. This means much more time efficiency and increased productivity.
Adaptability:
The ability to cope with changes at the workplace without any trouble and acceptance for the
implementation of new strategies is known as adaptability. The employees who are more adaptable in the
workplace are much more productive and increase the output of other employees.
Positive Attitude:
A positive attitude is a big plus when it comes to workplace as the employee who has a positive attitude at
work motivates other employees and improves the overall work environment as well.
Computer Knowledge:
Owing to the advancement in technology, computers have now become a must at every organization.
Every candidate who enters the professional field needs to be at least somewhat experienced in operating
a computer. The more you are experienced and knowledgeable about computers, the more valuable you
are to an employer.

Should I Ask For An Increment That
Was Promised To Me At The Time Of
Hiring Or Should I Remain Silent?
Question: I am serving as a lecturer in a UK based institution. This is a privately run institution having only
one director who is resident in UK and as he has a lot of other businesses to look after, so he basically
takes no special interest in this institution‟s matters and he has left everything on Dean. Now truly speaking,
the Dean does whatever he likes, no rules and no limitations. I‟ve worked for almost 4 years in corporate
environment and I know what rules are required in a work place.
When I was recruited in this institute, many things that were initially agreed upon were ignored later on
such as my timings etc. As to my salary, I pointed out in the beginning that this is not the proper
remuneration for the services I am providing, but I was assured that I will be getting a substantial increment
as soon as my first batch was over and if I produced good results. I agreed. I‟ve never disobeyed any rule.
I‟ve produced excellent results so far. My first batch gave 100% result. Dean wants everyone to work like
me and he knows how honestly I work.
My probation period expired 2 months ago, but still there is no news of an increment. One important point is
that I have not been issued any formal appointment letter despite my repeated demands. My probation
letter was given to me after, four months of my service here. That letter, too, has expired. Now I am
confused as to whether or not I should talk about my salary. I need your expert advice.
Answer: It is good to know that you are a hardworking individual who concentrates on her work to such an
extent that your batch got a 100 % result. Coming towards the problem that you are facing, it appears that
you have very clear options.
Since you said that the Dean of your institution is aware of your hard work and dedication and is
appreciative to such an extent that he recommends you as a role model to other teachers, you need to talk
to him directly.
Address the issue of appointment letter first, explain it to the Dean that you have been working past the
time allocated for probation and mention your success in the given time period. There is no need to be
modest as you should be proud of your accomplishments and be able to take the credit.
Make sure that you have a written request with you, which you can leave on the Dean‟s desk. A written
application will ensure that the issue does not slip his mind once you leave the office. Hopefully the Dean
will make sure that you get the letter as soon as possible.
The second issue should be that of the increment, so first write a letter explaining the promise at time of
your appointment, mention your success and address it to the Dean. After sending the email or letter, wait
a week before visiting the Dean and then ask him personally of the development on the issue of appraisal.
Since you have performed extremely well, it might be that the only reason you did not get an increment till
now is lack of initiative on your behalf. If, however, even after all the measures taken, the Dean does not
give you the increment or letter of confirmation, it might be advisable to start looking for another job as your
good experience and performance will help you in getting a good job without any issues.

Should I Accept A Low Salary Offer Or
Wait For Another Opportunity?
Question: I have recently been through an interview and now I am confused about some of the answers
that I gave to the interviewer. Also I have some problems related to the salary demand which I need your
advice on. During the interview I was questioned about my certification in teaching and I answered directly
and provided the specific information that he had asked for only. I have done more teaching courses along
with management course and have a lot of diverse experience. But when I was asked a related question, I
only responded for the specific course that he had asked me about. Should I have mentioned the other
courses as well or was it better to just talk about the course which he had asked. The other question is
about salary as I currently getting a pay of Rs. 30000 and I demanded Rs. 40000 from the prospective
employer. He kept on insisting that I lower my demand to Rs. 35000. Now I am totally confused and at a
loss as to what decision should I make. Should I switch for a low difference in the salary or stay at the
current job? Also, should I keep on insisting that the employer meet my demand? I have no clue as to what
course of action should I take and I need your advice. Please help me in making the right decision.
Answer: The confusion that you are facing is natural and has been experienced by all of us at one time or
another. Since the problem you are facing is multipronged, let us try to address it in two parts. First let‟s
deal with the interview questions and then we will address the salary issue.
Interview Questions:
Answering interview questions can be tough and a lot of time we feel that we could have responded better
to a specific question or that we should not have said something which we did and probably ruined the
chances of getting the job. However, the bottom line is that whatever the case may be, going through an
interview process makes you more and more experienced and you get more apt at answering tough
questions.
In your situation, you chose the direct approach and answered only to what was asked. This is
actually considered good approach by many employers and the fact that you are doing salary
negotiations with the employers means that you made a good impression on him.
As for the additional courses you have taken, it is best to mention them clearly and prominently on
the CV so that the employer can ask you questions about them if he is interested.
As for mentioning them in the interview process, there is no harm in mentioning them in the
passing after you have given a direct answer to the employer. If you mention them concisely
without getting into unnecessary details, it might make a good impression on the employer.
Salary Negotiation:
The salary negotiations are an important part of the job hunting process as both the employer and the
candidate want to get the best package.
In your case, if you think that you have the appropriate experience and you sense that the
employer is interested in you, it is always worth another try to get the package you want. During the
interview process you should explain to the employer what value can you bring to the company and
why they should give you the package that you are demanding.
If however, you feel like you are trapped in the previous job and are desperate to move even if the
salary difference is low, then you can consider accepting the employer‟s offer as you will not be
able to perform well at a place where you are not happy.
Lastly, if you are happy at you current job and the prospective employer deny accepting your
demand; you can always keep looking for another job while staying at the current job. It is quite
possible that you might even get an appraisal by staying here, which will make the moving
unnecessary.
Make your choice based on all the pros and cons that have been explained above so that you do no have
to regret your decision later on.

My Team Members Do Not Take
Responsibility And I Have To Finish
Their Jobs For Them. What Should I
Do?
Question: While it is true that team work is very important for the success of any project, there are certain
problems associated with team work. Sometimes team members simply cannot work in collaboration with
each other and make it impossible for the entire team to finish the project successfully. I have been working
in an IT firm for the last two years and my superiors have never had a problem with me. However, I have
been having problems with my team that are bound to affect my output sooner or later. I am the team
leader and have people assigned to me to get the job done. However, instead of taking initiatives and
performing their tasks independently, the whole team is totally dependent on me. On the other hand, as the
team leader I am answerable to the Senior Management, which puts additional pressure on me. In this
situation, I am not only managing my own work load but additional load as well, and other team members
do not realize that I am taking up the extra burden. Moreover, whenever I point out to my team members
that the team is not meeting the deadlines, they put the blame on me telling me that being the team leader
it is my responsibility to manage the work not theirs. What can I do in such a situation, because sooner or
later my superiors are going to find out that I am unable to manage my team properly, and as the team
leader I will have to face the consequences?
Answer: Team work is the most essential part of any job and you have to be good at working in a team if
you want to succeed in your professional life. However, leading a team is quite different from working in a
team ordinarily. It appears that while you are a good team member, you are facing trouble in leading the
team and taking charge. To be an effective leader you have to know how to get the maximum output from
your team members and you should be able to assign them duties. Moreover, you have to let the team
members know that they have to put in their effort or will have to face the consequences.
Here are some tips that will help you manage your team efficiently:
One of the reasons your team starts relying on you more than its appropriate is when you begin
demonstrating things rather than to providing directions. This way you are only trying to get the
work done with utmost haste while teaching nothing to your team members. In the long run, your
team mates will stop taking initiatives and simply delegate the work to you.
Make sure your team members are aware of their duties, by properly assigning them specific tasks
and asking them to give you regular updates on the status of their progress.
Encourage your team members to take initiatives and provide them incentives. For instance, tell
your team members that they will be evaluated at the end of the project and the most valuable
employee will be rewarded. This will give rise to healthy competition and the employees will put in
their best efforts.
Hold brain storming sessions and be open to hearing criticism and suggestion. This will not only
help in keeping you appraised of the situation, but will also help in providing clarity to the team
members. In any group assignment, it is necessary that all the team members are aware of the
progress of other members.
Whenever you make a decision, be sure to listen to all team members and include their input. This
will give them confidence that their opinion and feedback carries weight.

My New Manager Is Not Flexible On
Timings. What Should I Do?
Question: I have been working in an IT firm for the last one and a half year. Although the job is good, I
have some issues that are creating problems for me. The office timings are from 9 to 5 but I cannot
manage to come on time every day so I come around 10 30 but I make sure that I complete the eight hours
by sitting in late every day. This arrangement worked fine in the past but the new manager is not as lenient
or understanding as the last one. He has been making a lot of complaints to the HR and as a result I feel
like my job is in jeopardy. I have noticed that a couple of other employees also come in late but the HR
department has never made an issue about this, so why am I being singled out?
At first I considered moving to another job but after reviewing the situation of the job market I have come to
the conclusion that it is better to stick to the one I have as the pay structure is great and the work
environment is good as well. However, I need to address the issue at hand to make sure that there are no
problems in the near future. Please guide me on how to deal with the situation and what course of action
would be best.
Answer: The problem you have suggested is not at all such a big one which cannot be resolved. First of
all, let me say that you have come to the right decision of not trying to leave the current job.Owing to the
economic situation and the instability in the country, the job market has become tougher and more
competitive than it was ever. So plant your foot where you are and do not think of leaving unless of course
you get a better job offer.
Now coming to the issue at hand, a lot of employers have lenient time policies while other have strict.
Whatever the case may be, you must try to figure out the way to deal with the timing problem.
The first and the most obvious suggestion is to try to change your schedule and make it the office
on time. If you do not have a pressing issue that hinders you from being on time, it is better that
you try to abide by the office timings. Research indicates that most of the work is done in the early
hours of the day as you are high on energy at that time. So by coming on time you can make your
manager happy and be more productive at the same time.
If however you cannot manage to be on time at any cost, the best option is to talk openly with your
manager. Give him the valid reason and explain why it is impossible for you to come on the
allocated time. He will be reasonable and most probably will allow you to continue working on the
timetable that you used to follow before him.
You can ask your other coworkers how they manage to come late without having any problems
with the manager. They might have talked to him and gained special permission which might guide
you on how to deal with the manager.
Be more productive than the rest of the employees and shine brighter so that the managers sees
that even if you come late you are far more productive than the others and losing you might be a
big setback for the company.

My Hard Work Is Not Being Rewarded,
What Should I Do?
Question: I read your article on handling conflicts at workplace and found it helpful. However, I am in the
middle of a conflict at my office nowadays and do not know how to resolve it. Let me elaborate it for you. I
started my job around one and a half year ago. The job was quite challenging since a new ERP system
was in implementation and the whole team was newly hired. Since all of the employees were not up to the
task it was a great opportunity to outshine others and take responsibility. I did exactly that and was not only
appreciated by the immediate bosses but by the owners of the company as well. But these were verbal
appreciations with no increment and no promotion. After a while, getting tired of all the responsibilities and
no benefits, I stopped doing the work of others. This is making two things worse, those for whom I was
doing work turned against me and the work is always pending and often failing to meet the deadlines. Now
I have become like the others at my office sitting and doing nothing, I want to switch but the condition of the
job market is well known to everyone. So please suggest what I should do.
Answer: Your anger and confusion is understandable as everyone wants to be rewarded for their efforts.
However, the situation that you have described is not unfixable and you can easily set everything to right.
First of all you have to give yourself credit for being able to handle a lot of work without panicking. Such
qualities are not easily found in an employee and there is no doubt that your bosses have figured it out that
you are an asset to the team.
That being said what you have to keep in mind is that while the bosses might not be giving monetary
compensation, their verbal appreciation is also worth a lot and should not be taken lightly. If your superiors
are appreciating your work it means that they have an eye on how the work is being done. Keep in mind
that at the time of annual promotions or bonuses these things matter.
The fact that you have stopped putting extra effort in work as a consequence does not bode well
for your professional life. It will only be viewed as a negative sign by your superiors who will
immediately take notice that you have lost an interest in the job.
You yourself have pointed out that since you have stopped going the extra mile, your workload has
increased and you are failing to meet the deadlines. You have to keep in mind that your employers
basically hired you to do the work so you must not ignore it any cost.
The only thing you can do in this situation is to wait for the annual bonus or promotion time and if
you feel you have been overlooked then go to your boss and tell him how you feel. Be prepared
and present a list of achievements, build a strong case as to why you think you should be
promoted.
If all else fails and you feel like you have to find a new job then go for it with full zeal. Keep in mind
you should not offend the previous employer as he will be a strong reference for you.

My Boss Thinks I Am Incompetent,
What Should I Do?
Question: I have been working in an organization for two months now. My department consists of male
staff only and I am the first and the only female in the department. The rest of the staff of the entire
organization consists of 100 employees and the female ratio is considerably low. Those females who are
working in other departments are employed at clerical positions. I have noticed that being a small
organization it is one man show at my office. When I joined the organization I was given the hope that my
management trainee programme could be shortened and would end in six months. However, after a month
I came across my Managing Director who was having a conversation with my boss and saying that it‟ll take
me one year to understand the organization and my work properly. In another meeting, I heard that my
training period has been extended to two years. These developments have been troubling me a lot and I
am having serious insecurities. My superior doesn‟t give me much work and it has been over 2 months
since I have been working here. I feel that I am not doing as much work as I am capable of. My boss says
that he doesn‟t assign me work because I do not know anything. This baffles me since obviously I cannot
do work unless he teaches me and tells me how to go about it. It is my first job, my boss does not even give
me sufficient time and in my department we are the only two people. What should I do about this situation?
Answer: First of all, accept our congratulations at being hired at a company that has such a low ratio of
female employees. This alone proves that you have the potential to rise above the rest of the crowd. That
being said, before you lose hope and start looking for another job make sure that there is no deficiency in
your efforts. If you boss is extending your training period there might be a reason behind that. In order to
improve your performance and to ensure that you are not at fault, you have to take the following steps.
Ask questions:
If your boss is not teaching you how to do your work, there is nothing that says that you cannot ask him.
Instead of telling him flat out that you do not know how to perform a certain task, break it down into simpler
questions. Try to find the answers yourself or even ask a willing colleague to help you. Go to the boss with
only those questions that you fail to answer. Surely he will value an employee who is eager to learn and is
taking initiative.
Learn yourself:
The best way to improve your performance at work is by enhancing your ability to do things. In the modern
age internet provides help on any topic and enables you to learn how to do almost anything. Use the
internet and seek help from anyone who is willing to enrich you.
Polish your skills:

Make sure that you are capable of performing all the tasks that are in your job description. Keep your skill
set up to the mark and keep learning.

My Boss Is Taking Credit For My Work.
What Should I Do?
Question: have been working in the marketing department of a telecommunications firm for the last four
years. During this period I have gained a lot of experience and I enjoy doing my work. Moreover, not only
do I finish my work on time and meet the deadlines, I am always prepared to pitch in whenever some extra
hand is needed. I have a creative approach towards work and have proved to be very effective in problem
solving. My problem is that whenever I come up with a great idea for a campaign, my boss presents it to
the superiors and takes all the credit for it rather than acknowledging my contribution. Not only this, I have
been regularly putting in extra hours at work, but instead of recognizing my hard work, my boss totally
ignores my efforts. I agree that there is nothing wrong with doing extra work and taking initiative, but what
are you supposed to do when your immediate boss passes your hard work as his own, rather than at least
acknowledging that he was unable to accomplish that task on his own. Watching my boss constantly taking
credit for all my hard work is discouraging and I think that I might be losing my motivation. I do not know
how to deal with this situation. Should I talk to the boss or should I go to his superiors and tell them about
his misconduct? May be I should just leave the job and look for a new one. I am totally confused and need
help, please guide me to the right choice.
Answer: It is totally understandable how frustrated and anguished you must be feeling, since your superior
is taking credit for your hard work, but you have to deal with the situation delicately.First of all, going behind
your superior‟s back and complaining to his bosses is a bad idea since your boss is bound to find out
sooner or later and when he does, in all probability he will make the situation even worse. Moreover, the
superiors might get the impression that you are not being a team player and want solo credit rather than
sharing it with everyone. As far as leaving the job is concerned, it is a rather extreme option that should
only be considered after you have exhausted all other options. Here are a few tricks you can try that might
help with the situation so that you can stay at the job you love so much.
You should try to talk to the boss in order to find out why he has been doing this. However, keep in
mind that while doing so you should be calm and your tone should not be confrontational. The best
solution is to go through the back door and ask the boss for feedback on your ideas. You can also
ask him if what the superiors thought of the ideas that you had punched in. This way the boss will
get the idea that you expect to get acknowledgment for your efforts.
You must keep in mind that it is in your job description to work for the manager i.e., your boss. So
even if you are not getting direct credit for your hard work, you can always imply that you expect
that the boss will keep in mind his input on the projects and will remember him whenever the time
for a bonus or a promotion comes.
Another way to get credit for your work is to keep your ideas to yourself and only speak up when
you are in a meeting or there are other people around who are listening to what you have to say.
This way your boss will not be able to pass your ideas as his own and even if he does so, a lot of
people will know that he is taking credit for your hard work. In the end, the manager will come off
looking bad and sooner or later the upper management will find out the truth.

Lack Of Confidence & Positive Attitude:
How Can I Get Back On Career Track?
Question: Despite being an MBA – Finance, I have already wasted 5 years of my life working in a call
center due to some personal reasons. My aptitude is still towards careers requiring public dealings
(advertising, hospitality, media, etc.). I am at a stage where I am highly uncomfortable accepting a non-
managerial position. I have about 8 years of working experience in different industries, mostly
administration. I was highly dissatisfied at my last job due to my over qualification for my position & a
difficult phase imposed on me by my immediate supervisor as I used to receive encouragement from the
senior management.
What are my options now? I am on a break for more than a year now. The goal was to rebuild my
confidence levels and positive attitude. But I have noticed that during my interviews I get highly nervous,
anxious and exude a total lack of confidence. So, I never hear from the employer again. Should I go
through some sort of counselling? How can I get back on career track? I wish to be independent once
again with a job which offers me satisfaction and long terms career path. Please advise.
Answer: Professional experience in any field always pays off; you must not let negative vibes creep into
your mind. 5 years is a long term investment in a specific field. You have this experience in customer care
which fortunately does not block your career path. You have quite good options here for yourself as you
have mentioned that you have an aptitude for advertising, hospitality and media. So you can start by
applying for these kinds of jobs. One drawback, however, is that you have no first-hand experience in these
specific fields. But you are a trained professional with 8 years of experience which will help you climb the
success ladder at a faster pace. Best field for you might be hospitality and media though, as they have a
diverse variety of branches to choose from.
On the other hand, you have a professional degree of MBA-Finance which makes you eligible for a good
position in banking sector or a good multinational firm. This should have been your first choice after
completion of your studies as it is more in line with your area of studies. Anyhow, you can switch back to
this field as well which might be more beneficial for you.
When you switch your fields, you are required to get specific training for that field for a specific period of
time, where your abilities are better judged, so you might not want to put a restriction for a managerial
position at this stage. What we will advise you is to get the feel of the job nature first, judge your market
value and then push for a managerial post.
The cause of feeling nervous and anxious during interviews happens with you because may be at the back
of your mind you are still indecisive of changing your field at all or you are dubious whether the company
you are interviewed for is going to hire you or not.
You need to be confident while you are sitting in an interview. What you can do is plan some mock
interviews. You can seek help from a friend and practice by he/she adopting the role of the interviewer and
you of a candidate. This will seem a bit difficult at first but it will pay big time results.
When you apply for a job, you need to be sure if this is the post you want to work for. When you have made
a decision and are positive about it, you will feel confident and your anxiousness and lack of confidence will
be dissolved automatically. Also get complete details about the nature of a job and its specifications before
applying for it to get a better understanding of the nature of questions you will be asked during the
interview.

Is Finding A Good Job A Matter Of
Luck?
Answer: At times, I see skilled people stuck at jobs that are way below their aptitude while others end up
with these great job opportunities! This makes me speculate if luck has something or everything to do with
getting a quality job?
Do you remember the experience when luck crossed your path at one time or another in your career? You
met a friend of a friend at a chance meeting and he told you about an opportunity at his company which fit
your background. You went for an interview and were hired right away: Good Luck? And what if you gave 4
successful interviews for the same job but you did not get it and you did not know what went wrong: Bad
Luck? I wouldn‟t praise/blame luck just yet until I have read rest of the article!
It requires persistence and hard work to earn an opportunity of good luck. Those who have the patience to
do simple things perfectly acquire the skill to do difficult things easily.
In this article, I will talk about how instead of worrying about being lucky or unlucky, which you cannot
control, it is more productive to focus on certain traits that you can cultivate in yourself during your
professional career to help lady luck find you every time.
When you see a successful person in life, notice how he or she has ingrained most, if not all, of the
following attributes in his life. As far as that successful person is concerned, it is not just luck!
Update yourself:
World has become a global village. It‟s a small place and technology has squeezed everything within the
palm of our hands. Therefore, the following tips should help one in order to keep up with its pace:
Keep yourself open for learning new skills. If already employed, ask your employer to invest in your
skills enhancement; if you have to accept a new job for a slightly less money in order to gain the
pertinent skill-set, and then do so.
Be proactive about accepting new assignments at work. Sometimes the more challenging the task,
the more you will learn.
Communication skills have become important in all types of jobs in this age of electronic mail. Try
to enhance your communication skills by reading and writing as much as you can.
Thus, with enhanced skills you can become a more useful part of your existing organization. The more
updated you are, the more versatile and successful in various capacities you will be and the more will you
be bestowed by the Luck Goddess.
Put Perseverance into action:

A wise man once said, “You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don‟t try.”
Work a little harder or a few minutes longer on a task that you do not like.
Don‟t give up on difficult jobs or situations.
Keep working at the difficult thing until you complete it.
Always finish what you start.
When something doesn‟t work right, try again and again.
Don‟t lose your temper when someone or something upsets you, try to evaluate the situation
objectively.
Always try to place yourself in the other person‟s shoes.
Supervise your brand:

It is common culture at a job place to assign tags to colleagues regarding their performance or nature e.g.,
bossy, consistent, lethargic, dumb, energetic, sharp etc. This practice, i.e. branding a certain image of a
certain person, is very effective as a matter of fact because when it comes to your colleagues, your
branded image is glued to their memories whenever they think of or talk about you. In other words, it
becomes your reputation. These brands can damage, or facilitate your career. So try building a good brand
from day one for yourself as you are your own brand manager at your work place.
Networking:
Networking is crucial to develop and retain good professional relationships within, as well as outside, the
company. It also opens up numerous prospects for a bright developing future.
So, keep a smiling face and a good fun nature, as the wise always say, build as many bridges as you can!

Groom yourself:
Jobs have become a worldwide industry which requires a certain outlook and personality for its workers.
Employers are more particular now than before about how the employee carries him/herself. For this
reason, not only the outlook but also the overall personality of a person is judged during the interview
sessions.
Hence, the job seekers should pay due attention to the aspect of grooming themselves.
HR departments of big multinationals have even devised certain personality tests in this regard where you
are monitored thoroughly, e.g., how you react under different or stress situations, patience tests and so on.
So along with your brilliant degrees and glittering CV, this section also requires particular attention.
Before leaving for an interview some obvious, but most often ignored, things should be considered:
Take a shower.
Don‟t smoke just before the interview
Select neat and pressed clothes. Prefer white, blue or black colors- these are considered business
colors.
Use a good deodorant.
Men, make a neat shave. Trim your beard/mustache/hair/nails.
Females do not use loud colors e.g. red or shocking pink nail paint, lipstick or clothes. Remember,
it‟s a job interview, not a wedding ceremony.
My sole advice to you is that: groom yourself according to the industry needs. If it requires a jeans, wear
the jeans, if requires a suit, wear the suit. It does not need to be expensive. All it has to be is a neat, fresh
and enthusiastic look. Attire yourself in a way that blends in with your personality and your job nature.
Always Deliver your best:

In the end, always try to deliver your best at your job place. Whatever is the nature of your job, it requires
attention and sincerity to produce the crop of success. In still in yourself a competitive nature and make
your work stands out. You will not regret the results.

I Want To Go Back To My Previous
Employer. What Procedure Should I
Follow?
Question: I am working in an IT company nowadays and have been with this company for one year now. I
came to this company because the pay scale was higher than the last job that I had. However after working
here for a year, I have realized that I made a mistake by coming back to work here. Apart from the higher
pay scale, there are no significant benefits and the quantity of work is too much for a single person.
Moreover, my boss is very arrogant and my stress level has gone beyond control since I started working
here. After much thinking I have decided that I want to go back to my previous job as they paid less but the
work pressure was manageable. Moreover, the boss at my previous company was appreciative of my work
and was very nice and amiable. However, the problem is that since I left my last job I have not been in
touch with any of my former colleagues or the boss. Now I am not sure how I should approach the subject
of my return to the company. Should I drop by, send an email or make a call to the boss? Please advice on
how to address this issue in a professional manner so that I do not ruin my chance of going back to work
for that company.
Answer: Considering all the problems you are facing at your current job, it is understandable that you want
to return to your previous job despite the fact that the pay scale is lower at the previous company. After all,
there is nothing more important that personal satisfaction and a person who is not satisfied at his job
cannot perform well. Continuing in such a situation can lead to burn out very early in the professional life.
Since you have made the decision to return to your previous employer, it is important to make sure that you
play your cards right. Before making any concrete move, you need to find out whether the position you are
aiming for is still open. Obviously the employer must have hired someone else when you left but there
might still be room for another person in the team. Try to find out the situation by getting in touch with an
old colleague, even if you didn‟t remain in touch after leaving the job.
Once you determine that a position is available, your next step would be to contact the employer. If you left
the job on good terms, this would be easy and you can just give him a call and ask about the chances of
you re-joining them. A more formal approach would be to ask the send a casual email mentioning your
interest in returning to the employer. Also mention the desire to meet in person and discuss the possibility.
When you meet with the employer in person, make sure that you do not appear desperate for the job as
that will tilt the balance in his favour. Ask him about the position available and discuss the perks if you
come to them. Leave the discussion open ended and do not try to seal the deal then and there. Give him
time to think which will make sure that you do not appear desperate for the job and help you in getting a
better package.
We hope that you are able in securing a position at your old company with ease.

How To Resign Gracefully, So That I
Can Return At Another Time?
Question: I have been working as a civil engineer in a good company for one year. The company is great
and I love my work. I get along well with the other employees and the bosses and the pay scale is good
too. However the problem is that our project has been completed and the company wants us to move to
another place but I can‟t move to another place due to some personal reasons. I have already secured a
now job but the old company where I used to work is good and I am not sure what course of action should I
take? I have not submitted my letter of resignation at the old company yet and I need your help in figuring
out how and if I should do it. Can you help me in writing a resignation letter that will help me in getting my
old job back?
Answer: The problem you have stated is understandable as leaving a job that you are good at is not an
easy task. All of us keep looking for the perfect job and once we find it, we hope to stick to it for as long as
possible. Since you have acquired a new job and have not resigned at the old company, it is clear that you
have doubts about leaving the job. In these circumstances, it is best to re-evaluate your situation and see
what options you have. Look at the pros and cons of relocating to where the company is moving. If you feel
that you can make a few changes and relocate easily then go for it. If not, then focus on all the reasons why
staying back and getting a new job works out better for you.
As far as your fears regarding coming back to the company later on are concerned, here are a few things
you can do to make sure that the gates are open for you.
First and foremost, talk to your boss and explain to him why it is impossible for you to relocate. Be
polite and tell him that working at the company has been a great opportunity for you. Remember
you do not want to burn any bridges so be nice to your boss.
Give full 2 weeks‟ notice (or whatever time period was agreed upon in the agreement) so that the
company does not have to suffer. Finding someone to fill the position that you just left can be a
hard task so it is better not to leave the company in a difficult position.
Recommend someone who you think might be able to fill the post that you are leaving so that the
company does not have problems to deal with. They will remember you as the responsible
employee who caused minimum trouble when he resigned from the job.
Take some time to compose your resignation letter. A resignation letter should be brief, non-
confrontational and professional. For example you can write,
Dear Mr. C,
It has been an honour to work with you. This letter is to notify you that I will be leaving to accept a new
position with another company as of (a date which is AT LEAST two weeks from the date of your
conversation and letter). Since the company is relocating and it is not possible for me to move at this time, I
have to resign from the post. Please accept my thanks for our association, and best regards to you and the
entire company for the future.
Sincerely,
ABC.
We sincerely hope that the suggestions given above will prove helpful in making the right decision and the
doors of your old company will remain open for you if you wish to come back.

How To Deal With Difficult Colleagues
When My Appraisal Is At Stake?
Question: I have been working with an organization for more than a year. I like almost everything about it,
i.e. my job, my work and the workplace. However, there is one thing that bothers me the most. Some of my
co-workers are very hard-headed and difficult to deal with. Basically, the kind of work I do requires an
enthusiastic team-work, like sharing of ideas and mutual creativity. Basically, I come up with the concepts
and the said colleagues have to make graphic designs on it. The problem basically occurs when, after
much hard work, I come up with a brilliant idea, and they produce relatively low quality graphics, resulting in
absolute deterioration of my idea. Due to these few thorny colleagues of mine, I am unable to give a first-
rate performance at the tasks assigned to me.
These things did not bother me much in the past. However, just recently, I got to know that every employee
is to be given a pay appraisal in a couple of months, on the basis of his/her performance throughout the
year. After learning this, I have become much worried about my performance which has been negatively
affected due to the difficult attitude of my colleagues. I have only two months to rectify my image and
enhance my performance in order to get the appraisal. I need your expert opinion as how can I deal with
these colleagues who hinder my progress through their non-cooperative attitude.
Answer: Your concern is very common, yet very disturbing. When we are working in an organization, we
are very much dependent on our colleagues to get our job done. Thus, being able to communicate and
work with collaboration is essential for every employee. However, it is a fact that difficult people exist in
every organization around the world. Dealing with difficult colleagues is easier when the person is just
generally obnoxious or when the behaviour affects more than one person. However, it is even tougher
when they are attacking you or undermining your professional contribution. Although, as you have
mentioned, you have not paid much attention to this issue previously, but still, it is never too late to mend.
Following tips may help you cope with your colleagues who are giving you a hard time at workplace:
Always start with self-examination to determine that the object of your attention really is a difficult
co-worker‟s actions. Ask self-judgmental questions to yourself. Are you sure that the other person
is the actual problem and that you are not overreacting? Have you always experienced difficulty
with the same type of person or actions? If the answers are affirmative, give a positive response,
move forward with the treatment.
Take another colleague in your confidence. Explore what you are experiencing with a trusted friend
or colleague. Brainstorm ways to address the situation. When you are the object of an attack, or if
your boss appears to support the dysfunctional actions of a coworker, it is often difficult to
objectively assess your options.
Approach the person, with whom you are having the problem, for a private discussion. Discuss
your issue through official chat service (if your office has any) or arrange for a personal meeting.
This kind of communication approach should focus on your experience of the situation rather than
on attacking or accusing the other person of doing something wrong.
Be pleasant and agreeable as you talk to the other person. They may not be aware of the impact of
their words or actions on you. It is far better to address the difficult person, maintaining some
objectivity and emotional control.
Follow up after you do the initial discussion with the problematic person. Has the behavior of that
person changed or gotten better? It is up to you to determine whether a follow-up discussion is
needed or not. You can only decide it after observing the behavioral change in your colleague.
Worst case scenario occurs when that person develops even a worse conduct. In such case, you
can try to transfer to a new job within your organization. Depending on the size of your company,
you may never have to work with this difficult coworker again. Also, it is better to be as much polite
and patient as you can be. Who knows, maybe your patience and polite attitude may prevent you
from further annoyance.
Difficult people are found in every organization creating different problems for the fellow colleagues. How
difficult a person is for you to deal with depends on your self-esteem, your self-confidence and your
professional courage. It is quite easy to play the blame-game, when it comes to performance evaluation.
However, not being able to deal with your colleagues can influence your reputation in a very negative
manner and can even vouch for your incompetence. Back track on these recommended steps and retry
some of them when appropriate. If you are successful in putting a stop to this obnoxious work environment,
stop complaining and get back to work with all your strength, so that you may achieve what you want.

How To Deal With An Abusive
Employer?
Question: I started my first job 8 months ago in a medium sized, growing organization at a non-managerial
position. This, being my first job, I have tried my level best to give it my 100% and have learnt more each
day. However, I sometimes happen to do mistakes and errors, as I have no previous experience. In any
such situation, my boss insults me in front of the other employees, even in the presence of the peon & the
tea boy. He usually asks the office boy to keep a check on me which makes me feel really insulted. What
should I do in this situation? Please advise.
Answer: There are two things that are happening here. One, you are being corrected by your boss on the
types of mistakes that you are making. This, in itself should not be an issue. What seems to be the issue is
the manner in which you are being corrected; basically, you are being insulted in front of other colleagues
and office staff.
There are multiple ways to handle this issue. We will list some options and you can decide which one to act
upon given your circumstances.
1. Let‟s start with the least confrontation response. That is, where you simply try to improve your work and
try not to make any mistakes. That way, you can try to avoid these situations with your boss. However,
please keep in mind that, although trying to avoid a hearing from your boss might be a good motivator, but
it does not make for a healthy work environment.
2. Another option is to try not to make mistakes but, additionally, to have a one on one discussion with your
boss. Approach him that you would like to talk to him about your work. Make it a very professional
discussion. Ask him what areas are you lacking in and how you can improve. Also, ask him if he considers
certain areas your strength. This last question will make him think consciously about any good work that
you have done and will work towards balancing the negative attitude that he has for you. Tell him that you
know that you are new but you are trying hard to improve. And you would appreciate any help that he can
provide with his experience.
3. A third option is to extend the meeting in the second option and let the manager know that you feel
insulted by his actions. Tell him that it is counter-productive and does not help you; rather it becomes a
demotivating factor. If he does want to tell you about your mistakes perhaps he can do it in a different
manner.
4. Lastly, if these options don‟t work, then you can talk to the HR Rep and explain the situation. This should
happen only after you have spoken directly with your boss. At some point if none of these options work
then you have to evaluate your options whether you want to continue with your current organization or look
for work elsewhere. Again, this should be the last option.
We wish you All the Best!

How Can I Enhance My Computer Skills
While I Am At Work?
Question: I have been working in a company for the last 2 years as a security coordinator & customer care
officer now and although I like my job and have been doing very good at it, I am facing a problem that has
been worrying me a lot. The problem is that I want to strengthen my computer skills more than they are at
present and I want to grasp more expertise in Microsoft Office and others official applications such as
Adobe Photoshop and such programs that help in improving the quality of work. I see that my co-workers
and colleagues are much more advanced in computer skills and I wish to polish my skills to match or even
exceed their level of expertise. Kindly guide me on what course of action should I take.
Waiting for your positive response.
Answer: There is no doubt that with the advance in latest technology and software applications, it is
pertinent to keep yourself updated with the latest training courses so that you do not lag behind in the
professional race. There are chances that a person might be chosen for a promotion due to his advanced
computer skills over a person who is much better at the job but lacks the basic computer skills.
You have already taken the first step by recognizing the fact that you need to make some improvements in
your computer skills. When a person admits that there is a problem, the solution to the problem is easy.
The next step in the right direction will be to find a way to polish these skills to get better results at work.
The first thing that you need to do is to assess your computer skills in different areas and then rate them.
By doing so, you will be able to identify the areas which need improvement and work on them
systematically.
The best way to improve your skills is by looking for tutorials on the internet. The internet is replete with
such tutorials on all kinds of computer related programs and once you follow them completely you will feel
considerable improvement in your capabilities. These tutorials also have videos which help the viewer in
better understanding the directions and following them.
However, if you still need more help you can take computer courses that are available at various
institutions. These short courses will do wonders for your computer literacy and skills. You can get easily
enrolled and after paying a small amount of fee, learn computer skills within a matter of days.
Bear in mind that you have to keep updating your skills regularly as there are new developments in the
world of IT on monthly basis and if you stop learning you will be facing a similar problem in the days to
come. So keep yourself updated and try to teach yourself first so that you at least have the basic knowhow
of how to address various issues.

How Can I Be A Professional Employee
When I Have No Prior Experience?
Question: I am a fresh graduate working in an NGO. I have finished my degree in BBA (HONS) before
joining the NGO. The problem with me is that I am totally new in the practical field and am facing difficulties
in fulfilling my duties. Moreover, my boss is not at all happy with my work as he claims that I am not a
professional employee and cannot handle the work satisfactorily. I agree that I do not know anything about
my work but the fact is that I am new in this field so obviously I do not have any relevant experience or the
required knowhow. However, in order to prove myself worthy and to please my boss I do my work with
maximum possible effort, but still get no response or recognition from him. Please suggest what should be
done to improve the situation and make sure that my boss does not fire me. I have no experience in the
professional field which is why I am totally unable to solve the problem on my own. Help me get myself
out of this quagmire and get on the road to success.
Answer: Entering the professional field is not easy and once you get a job it is even harder to keep it. It is
true that for a newcomer or a fresh graduate the professional life is scary and the fact that the boss or
supervisor expects them to be good at their job makes it even harder.
However the harsh reality is that wherever you go, the employers will expect you to be professional and
know how to do your job. Most companies do offer orientation and guidance in the beginning but now owing
to the troublesome job climate, the employers prefer to hire employees who know what they are supposed
to do and accomplish the task at hand without any help from the supervisor.
Given your situation the best option would be to make sure that you listen to the instructions given by your
boss clearly and try to follow them to the letter. If your boss has to repeat the instructions he might get
angry and feel that you have a careless attitude.
Also try to meet the deadlines, even if it means sitting late at the office and working hard to get all the work
done. If you do not understand something ask about it clearly rather than risking making a mistake which
will be worse than asking for help.
You can also learn from your colleagues and co-workers. Try to find a mentor who is willing to guide you so
that you can learn the ropes while staying in the boss‟s good books.
Internet is a very effective medium that can help you in enhancing your learning capabilities by providing
professional guidance. Look for tips on time management, professionalism and skill polishing. All these can
help you build a strong career.
Lastly, keep your spirits up and take the criticism positively. Learn from your mistakes and makes sure that
you never repeat them. This is your first job so make the best of it and use this opportunity to learn as much
as you can.

Dissatisfied With The Current
Employment: What Is The Best Time to
Switch?
Question: I have been working with my current employer in the Sales department for the last 3 years. I like
my employer and don‟t have any major issues as far as the Administration and my Manager is concerned.
The only thing that dissatisfies me is the work routine. I sometimes get sick of being overburdened while at
other times of sitting idle. I feel like I am not doing anything constructive for the company. Is this the time for
me to look forward to switching my job? I do have a few other options with a better salary offer. Please
assist.
Answer: The most important thing to do in life and one‟s career is to be positive at all times and be eager
and willing to learn. Work routines have a tendency to become monotonous after a while but it is necessary
to be not let down by this. As a professional you have to set your priorities straight and ask yourself a
couple of questions like:
“Have I learned everything that this organization has to offer?”
“Have I given my 100% to my work?”
“Have I achieved personal targets in this organization?”
“Is there further room for professional and personal growth in the other job?”
If the answers to such questions are positive then it is the right time to move on and find a new job.
A good professional does not hop jobs for the heck of it. A minimal increase in the new offered salary might
look very promising to begin with but may not give you enough learning and professional growth
opportunities. Changing a job is a very important decision and make sure you spend ample time on making
it. Being impulsive about it will not help.

All Of My Colleagues Are Moving On To
Better Jobs. Should I Try To Find
Another Job As Well?
Question: I have been reading your newsletter for quite some time now and I find the suggestions given by
you extremely helpful. I am an engineer working in a private organization for the last 2 years. The job is
good and the co-workers are friendly and helpful. Even my boss is great and very helpful with all the
employees. So far, I have had no reason to complain and my satisfaction level has been high on the
scale. However, recently the rumour started that the organization was about to shut down and the
employees will become jobless. While the boss denies all this, the employees have already started moving.
Many of my co-workers have left for better jobs and many are still looking. My dilemma is that I have grown
too comfortable in this job and leaving is not a good option for me. On the other hand, I feel like I have
gained all that I could from this job and need something more challenging. Also the rumours have gotten
me worried as to my future in this company. Please advice what should I do?
Answer: The job situation that you have described is ideal and many of us would do anything to get such a
job. However, it is true that all good things have to end sooner or later. There are multiple solutions to your
problem according to different situations. Read through and choose the one that best appeals your senses:
If you are in fear that the company is shutting down, it is best to have a clear talk with the boss and
discuss the situation. If there is such a scenario, he will be honest and apprise you of the situation.
If you still feel threatened then stay at the job and start looking for another one. As soon as you find
a good job, you can give notice to the employer and leave after the notice period is over.
If you feel like you have learned all you want from this job, it might be time to start looking for a new
job. However if you are adamant at staying at the current job, you can always ask your boss to get
you relocated to another department so that you can have new responsibilities and new job
descriptions.
The last point is about you getting too comfortable in the working environment. It is not a bad thing
and you do not have to move based solely on this problem. Finding good jobs and a healthy work
environment is not easy and it is understandable that one might be reluctant to leave such a place.
However if it is keeping you from staying despite any chances of growth and long term success
then you should think about switching.

I Am Not Being Paid Well And Getting
No Interview Calls. Is There A Solution?
Question: I have a problem that has been causing growing frustration in my life and I need your help
dealing with it. I have a Master‟s degree in Journalism & Mass Communication from Gomal University, Dera
Ismail Khan, with first division. After finishing my degree, I joined an advertising agency and worked there
for nearly 4 and half years. I then switched to another agency and worked for some time with that agency
before finally moving to an airline company.
The problem I am facing is that the salary package I am getting at this airline company is quite low as
compared to my experience level and the jobs portfolio. People with my experience level are getting much
higher pays than me. My boss says that since I came to the company on this pay scale, I should be
content.
Disheartened, when I applied for another job, I did not receive an interview call, but when my wife who has
a BA degree only applied for the same job she received an interview call. Why was I ignored despite being
more experienced and educated? Also what can I do to get the company to increase my salary?
Answer: You have good education and a lot of experience which means that you can get a good pay. The
first thing that comes to mind after reading your story is why you accepted a job at a lower package than
you deserved. It might be that you wanted the job badly enough to accept a lower salary package. If so,
you might have to bear the package for some time before you are offered an appraisal or a promotion.
Due to the economic recession that is plaguing the job markets, the pay scales have gone down. A lot of
people are willing to work for less and for every job that opens up there are millions of candidate. Under
these circumstances it might be best to keep working till you get a better option.
When looking for a job make sure that it is something you are interested in and see you succeeding in the
long run. Do not make a switch based on pay scale only as that will not be beneficial for you in the long
term. Also moving again and again can create a negative impression on the employer.
As per your question regarding the failure to receive an interview call from the job that you applied for, the
problem might be that you are overqualified. The fact that your wife received a call from the company
despite being less educated and experienced means that she fills their criteria better. Your experience and
education level is not desired by the employer so they did not give you a call.
It is advisable that you apply to jobs that cater to your experience level rather than going for jobs that are
below your expertise level. Even if you are able to get a job that is below your expertise level, they will offer
you a lower pay scale which is the reason you switched your job in the first place.

Best Of
Luck

Career

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Profile

Mr. Nazeer Ahmed Shaikh

MBA Finance-[2011] SISTECH Sukkur.

Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 1

Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 2

1. JOB HUNTING TIPS

INTERVIEW, CV AND JOB TIPS:

1. MAKE IMPRESSIVE CV.

Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 3

1. WHAT QUALITIES SHOULD I POSSESS TO BECOME A GOOD MANAGER?

Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 4

Job Hunting Tips

Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 5

No Research on Potential Employers:

Wasting Valuable Time:

Focused on salary alone:

Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 6

Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 7

Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 8

Major Don’ts For Resume Writiting:

An Ideal Resume Format:

Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 9

Education and Qualification:

Courses And Trainings:

Achievements And Awards:

Interests And Hobbies:

Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 10

Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 11

Cut the flash:

Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 12

Begin with name and contact details:

Write an appealing career summary:

Focus on your work experience, responsibilities and achievements:

Setting up 7 franchisees across 4 countries

Your next asset is your educational qualification:

Write about your out-of-work achievements, interests and hobbies:

Write short sentences with more impactful words:

Use the same tense throughout the CV:

Colorful or glossy paper and flashy fonts:

Resume or CV at the top:

Photographs until asked:

Usage of 'I', 'My', 'He', 'She':

Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors:

Lies about your candidature:

Abbreviations or jargon that is difficult to understand:

Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 14

Past failures or health problems:

Current or expected salary:

Writing the CV:

Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 15

Focus on your skills:

Write about your achievements:

Mention your qualifications:

Use words with greater impact:

Last jobs on last page:

Acing the interview:

Why have you switched so many jobs?

Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 16

Do you get bored of repetitive work?

Copyrights©2011- Mr. Nazir Ahmed Shaikh” 17

Colorful or glossy paper and flashy fonts:

Your CV is a formal, official document. Keep it simple.

Resume or CV at the top: