5. Be confident.

I know you are very nervous about doing interviews. After all, this is the gate way into being hired. However, showing confidence is key to landing the job. Employers like to see people who have a good head on their shoulders. They’re seeking the type of people who will not only get the job done, but done correctly. Some employers will even act more assertive just to see if you would squirm. Being confident will not only help you land the job, but also prove to your self that you have what it takes.

6. Greet with a firm handshake.

Ok the receptionist has allowed you to into the employers office for your interview. Either before the interview or after the interview you will have to shake your interviewer’s hand. Do you grasp lightly? Do grasp with only three fingers? The answer is NO. You do not grasp lightly at all, it views you a weak or not confident. When shaking your interviewer hand just get a firm grip. NOT a grip that would potentially break your employer hand in half. But grasp in firm way. With all fingers around the hand. And no high fives, or fist pumps, please!

7. Be optimistic.

If you don’t get THAT job, don’t worry there are plenty of other offers that come your way. Having that winning attitude is all you need to land the kind of job you want.

Ok you have arrived 15 min early at the company. The secretary told you to have a seat and your prospective employer will be with you in a few minutes. Now comes the dreadfully hard part- the wait. As you’re waiting, a million thoughts begins to swirl around in your head, making you have “butterflies” in your stomach. But don’t worry- you’ll do fine if you follow these steps

1. Arrive 15minutes early.

Everyone wants to make a good first impression. Being on time not only make you look good, it also tells your interviewer that you are very serious about your job. Who wants to hire a person who is late to work all the time? They can not be depended upon.

2. Dress Professionally {No Jeans or Sneakers}.

The Employer always looks at your dress attire. Dressing in a mini skirt with low cut top shirt or ripped jeans with a graphic t-shirt that says “work sucks” and sneakers may be your normal ascetics, however, it’s not professional. Men should wear nice dress slacks, a long sleeve shirt and tie. Ladies can wear a nice knee length skirt with an appropriate blouse. If all else fails wear a suite, it not only makes you look good- it’s what corporate people wear.

3. Never sit before your interviewer sits.

What?! Yes, that’s right I said it. What most people do not know is that employers sometimes linger to see if you take the bait. Even if you feet are hurting you should wait until you are invited to sit. This simple gesture, show that you know how to be polite.

4. Do your Research about the company.

Some employers will ask what you like about the company. YOU can not say “ well I do like the fact that you give out 401k and that you do volunteer work with young kids.” “Hmmm”says your interviewer “that’s funny, our company does not to volunteer work with kids. Where did you get that information from?”Now you are in hot water, not only you fudged about the volunteer work, but also you are caught. The chances of being hired are gone. To avoid this mess, try to get some information about the company. Go though their web site. You do not have to state a whole lot of what you like just find whatever you interested in.

Amanda Miller

August 23, 2010

Why is it important to keep your resume up to date?

Keeping your resume up to date is important because, when going on interviews you always want to have accurate and current information. Recruiters always look and ask for experience. The more experience you have on your resume, the more you might qualify for the job. Every time your career changes, you work another job, or even an internship, its best that you update your resume. What did you do? How did you get there? And last but not least, Where do you plan on going? They want to know these things.

So you feel you deserve a raise and realize how hard you’ve been

working, but how do you do you go about addressing this with your boss?

Well, first you need to ask yourself do I deserve a raise? How has my

work been progressing here? Have I been accomplishing goals? Am I

underpaid in my industry? These are the questions you should

prepare yourself. Make a list the things you’re done. You should be

prepared to explain to your boss the answers to these questions.

Be confident- the worst thing your boss can say is no. Some employees

just accept the minimum 2 percent raise because they are afraid to ask

for more. If you know you deserve a raise, and can back it up with

accurate information, go for it!

Knowing where you stand in the industry is important in determining

your raise. Do your research using the bureau of labor statistics.  It

has the most recent salary updates. Also know the company’s raise

policy. Is there a percentage range based on performance? Is it a fixed

cost-living raise that everyone gets?

Having the correct data is only half the battle. No one says it is

going to be easy, but you should show that you contributed in a way that

was beyond your call of duty. Remember bosses like to see results. Be

specific and detailed in your explanations so your boss can’t argue

your achievements. If you are a sales representative list figures that

you generated this year above last years.  Write the accomplishments

down think about what you did to make that positive change.

If you can’t think of anything you probably shouldn’t ask for a raise.

But if you do have some major wins you should focus on qualifying them

as if you were writing a resume.

The next step should be is to go over it with someone in the same field

but not your co-worker. Going over salaries with your co-workers is a

no-no! The point is to bounce your achievements off someone else that

knows you well and is experienced.

Getting a negative response from your boss might also be a wake-up call

that there is no room for growth at the company and that its time to

move on. Make a plan to take the last stand option: Ask for feedback on

what you need to do to get the raise you want. And schedule goals in

writing so you both can remember what you agreed on.

Then reach for the stars!

When you’re going for a job interview, it is highly recommended that you attend at least 15 minutes prior to the interview. Doing so, it demonstrates professionalism and shows respect to both you and the interviewer’s time.

Coming in a few minutes early allows you to gather your thoughts and information with less anticipation. It’s also good just in case of any delays, such as traffic delays or getting lost because being late for an interview comes across as a bad first impression. It gives the interviewer the impression that if you cannot show up on time for the interview, what makes he or she think you can show up on time for the actual job position you’re applying for; hurting your chances on getting the position.

But for some reason you cannot avoid these delays, you should call the company and inform them about your situation because a simple “traffic” excuse is a weak one. If the delay or situation is a serious one, reschedule your appointment. It’s best you don’t waste the interviewer’s time because time is valuable.

Also, it’s best you don’t show up too early for the interview either. Showing up extra early for a job interview is a sign of desperation. It demonstrates that you have way too much time on your hands. You want to show the interviewer that your time is just as valuable as his or her.

Amanda Miller’s Blog

August 18, 2010

Maybe you’ve worked at the same job for many years or possibly just starting the job search. Your company might even be down sizing. Whatever the reason is, you decided its time to pull out that old resume. Not only is it out of date, it doesn’t reflect the experience and skills that you you’ve gained over the years. So you want to start fresh, by presenting your self in the best way possible. Be Factual! Gather up all your organized information, use new formats when typing it up, and always stay professional. A resume is not a rush job, most importantly it reflects you. So if your resume is a dinosaur, don’t worry. There’s always hope. In my opinion the second resume is always better than the first, you just know more the second time.

For past couple of days I have been working with Millennium Personal as an administrative assistance and it’s been amazing. Things I have learned were receiving calls from a client, helping with payroll, creating and carrying out number of checklists, deposit procedures and check distributions. Nevertheless, given the period of time working as an intern, it was bit challenging how much you have to gain knowledge in short amount of time and days they give you. At first, I was bit mystified about my work because I was clueless to what my duties were but,  when I was assign on my first task I came to my realization to what I should do next . One thing I have learned on my first day was making mistakes is an element of learning process.  The mistakes I have made while working, I can show someone how to fix that error when that person does the same thing.

Amanda Miller’s Blog

August 16, 2010

Being late for a job interview can ruin everything. If you are a person seeking employment, you definitely want to greet the interviewer. How can you greet the person if you’re late? That will be the only thing they remember. It’s important to be on time for an interview, you want to show that you can be anytime, anywhere on time. Always allow yourself some Extra; you never know what might happen.  You never want to miss out on a job opportunity, for a late mistake. So next time, ask yourself, do I want to be a little earlier this time? Remember first impression is a lasting impression.

Amanda Miller

August 11, 2010

As an intern for Millennium Personnel, you are one of the many interns who come seeking the advantage to learn more. Here at M.P.C. there are many different interns. Sometimes we work together, and sometimes independently. We all come to learn. Everyone’s friendly and eager to complete the tasks there given. When one intern is not available another one is. When working with friends it’s very important to keep it professional. We are here to better our selves. As long as we keep it positive it can never be dangerous for our careers. We take advantage of the opportunity to be one step closer to a great future.

I thought I was going to be nervous working at Millennium Corp, but the usual “butterflies in my stomach” was not there. When I first arrived I was immediately put to work. I learned how the company operates, how to answer the phones, and conduct interview. My first initial thought this was going to be a piece of cake, however, when I observed the process of conducting a interview, I quickly put the thought out of my mind. The job of working as an administrative assistant requires not only the ability to multi-task, but also to have at lot of confidence. As a first day intern, I can tell you that is having confidence allows you to obtain the job you want and build your self-esteem as well.