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 “Intellectuals solve problems. Geniuses prevent them.” – Albert Einstein
Interviewers and human resource managers often go through hundreds of applicants, many of which express the same characteristics. However, instead of glazing over resumes and interviews, look for something unique that will bring high performers into the workplace. In short, look for emotional intelligence.
Emotional intelligence is the individual’s ability to identify, assess and control the emotions of themselves and others. A vital characteristic, studies have shown that employers are more likely to promote workers with high emotional intelligence over those with high IQ. More so than ever, it has become a measure of the employee’s potential for success.
4 Characteristics of High Performers
Emotional intelligence is an important quality for prospective candidates, and ultimately all employees. The following characteristics, attributed to a high degree of emotional intelligence, are reasons why you should look for high performing individuals:
- Self Awareness
Self awareness is the ability to perceive one’s own emotions and stay aware of their emotional state. A vital characteristic for employees and managers alike, this quality allows them to recognize feelings and emotions as arises in various situations. Employees are able to objectively look at their actions and determine whether it is reasonable or not. When individuals are able to understand their own emotional state, they are better able to compose themselves and act accordingly.
- Self Management
Simply perceiving emotions are not enough – a successful individual is also able to self manage those emotions and control them. The quality ensures that emotions will not take control of the individual and get out of hand. This ability to regulate and adapt to change circumstances is vital for the workplace, where tensions and tempers can run high. If the employee is unable to keep their cool, this will have a negative effect on their reputation and perception among peers.
- Social Skills
Success in the workplace is largely determined by the individual’s ability to manage relationships and understand social networks around them. The ability to connect with others allows the employee to engage in better teamwork, collaboration and communication. Social skills also extend to the ability to understand relationships and engage in conflict resolution. As a result, individuals with a high degree of social awareness are more likely to emerge as leaders and managers in their field.
- Impulse Control
Finally, another characteristic of individuals with emotional intelligence is the ability to control their impulses. Impulse control is a form of emotional regulation – it allows the individual to wait in order to obtain something that he or she wants. By resisting instant gratification, they are able to reap greater rewards in the future. Good impulse control is an indicator of a high performer; an individual who understands the rewards of success.
If you’ve entered late in the game, don’t worry – emotional intelligence, unlike IQ or personality, is not a stagnant quality. Individuals can improve this quality through emotional intelligence training and courses designed to help them get better. With enough practice, both new and veteran employees can develop their emotional intelligence, actively influencing their own ability to become a high performer.
Sara Fletcher is a writer at Talent Smart, a leading provider of emotional intelligence and DISC assessment. She has written on a variety of topics, ranging from small business, sports, and career advice.
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 “If you do not know how to ask the right question, you discover nothing.” – William Edwards Deming
These are the vague, confusing interview questions that get thrown at you when you are trying to get the best management consulting, strategy consulting or investment banking jobs. They make you realize how much easier it was to answer those tough-sounding technical questions you were asked during your first few job interviews. At least you knew whether you were right or wrong and after the interview you’d know how well you fared. With situational interviews, most candidates have a big question mark about their performance and how it would be perceived by their interviewers.
What are situational interview questions?
These are questions designed to make you think, analyze a given situation and arrive upon the best-possible decision. Thus it is meant to probe into your behavioral / thought process. These questions allow the interviewer to find out certain aspects of your personality, decision-making and working style in general. The questions could be in the area of inter-personal skills, analytical ability, capacity to work under pressure, multi-tasking skills or cover many other aspects.
Why do companies ask situational interview questions?
Your resume contains a listing of all the important projects handled, various roles played by you, your milestones that you’d like your future employer to know. It’s good if you can pick up tips on how to write a good resume as you may also be asked questions related to your resume. Now, at this stage, your recruiter is not just interested in knowing your achievements but also wants to find out how well you can work towards overcoming challenges and meeting your targets. They can also extrapolate these inputs to get a feel for how you would perform when you are faced with challenges you’ve never come across before.
Sample situational interview questions
Here are some examples of situational interview questions.
- Have you faced a situation wherein you had a conflict with a difficult colleague? How did you handle the situation?
- Have you ever been self-motivated to accomplish your goals?
- How do you take criticism? Think of a situation when you were criticized. What was your reaction?
- Describe a situation where you were unable to deliver. How did you manage and what did you learn?
- Have you faced a situation where your decision or opinion was different from the majority as you were not convinced about it? What did you do in that situation?
- Give us an example of a situation where you had to take a difficult decision based on very little data.
- Do you think you had a work-life balance in your previous job? If yes, how did you achieve it?
- Have you been faced with having to think beyond the conventional approach while solving a problem or taking decisions?
- Have you ever handled multiple projects or tasks, each of them equally important, having stringent deadlines?
- Can you think of a time when you went beyond your area of technical expertise and proved your skills on the non-technical side?
How to answer situational interview questions?
For each question that you encounter, don’t feel tempted to get started with an immediate response. Instead take some time to ask yourself these additional questions:
- What is the interviewer really trying to get out of this question?
- What kind of skills would I need to mention to assure the recruiter that I have what it takes to be a perfect fit in the new role?
- How can I answer this question with real-life events, rather than sounding vague or diplomatic?
Once you’re done with your thinking, answer systematically so that the interviewer gets convinced that in addition to the other skills, you also have clarity of thought and good communication skills.
Sameer Kamat is the founder of MBA Crystal Ball, an MBA admissions consulting venture specializing in GMAT preparation & MBA essays. He is a published author and shares tips on how to write a book on his personal blog.
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 A few years ago I went on vacation with my family to Costa Rica. While we were there, we visited Arenal Volcano. Although the volcano is in a “resting” phase, there was plenty of smoke and some rocks shooting out of the top. Not sure I would want to be there for a full eruption (lava and burning alive does not really appeal to me). So what does this have to do with job search?
A friend of mine went on an interview for a senior level position with very large financial institution. The hiring manager turned out to be a real jerk. He cursed the entire time, thought my friend’s experience was spotty at best, never asked any questions and spent the bulk of the interview telling my friend how great he (the hiring manager) was. He kind of reminded my friend of a volcano (spewing smoke and rocks) and, like my trip to Arenal, my friend said he would not want to be around when a real eruption occurred.
Fortunately for my friend, there were obvious warning signs and even if he got a job offer he would not take it. But many times, the warning signs of a potentially bad job situation are not evident during the interview process. Generally speaking, everyone is on their best behavior during the interview process and very often we are not aware of a bad situation until it is too late (like the first week on the job). So what are the warning signs of a bad situation? They are not always evident but there are some things you can look for.
- View the Environment – As you walk through the office on your way to your interview, take a look at the people and the working conditions. Do people generally look unhappy? Are there 5 people to a cubicle? Look for the warning signs.
- How did the Interview Go? – Of course we always want to make the best impression so that we can get the job, but you also need to take notice of things said (and not said) during the interview process. Is the hiring manager obnoxious (like my friend experienced)? It is not just about you getting a job, it is about you getting the right job in the right company.
- Ask the Right Questions – We all study potential interview questions (we don’t want to get those wrong). But what about questions you should be asking the hiring manager? Questions that will help you spot the job from hell.
- Background Checks Work Both Ways – No doubt your potential employer will do all sorts of background checks on you before they offer you a job. What about you doing a background check on the company and your hiring manager.
Other Interesting reads:
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 The largest employer in the U.S. is the government. Chief attractions of a government job include diversity of career options, employment stability, salary, and benefits–including retirement plans. More people are interested in pursuing careers in the government, particularly as baby boomers retire. Most government agencies have websites online with invaluable information that can be used to launch and grow a career, such as public administration. Applying these 5 insider tips for building a career in government can lead to public administration success through the years.
1. Explore the Diversity of Career Choices
Any job title found in the private sector, including public administration jobs, is mirrored in the government sector. Besides public administration careers, the government also employs other traditional and non-traditional careers, including the following: Accountants, administrative personnel, human resource specialists, IT positions, engineers, management, scientists, and homeland security.
Top employment search engines, search aggregators and bulletin boards mirror job titles and buzzwords found on government career sites, such as the federal vacancies site USAJobs.gov.
2. Maximize Use of Employment Website Features
- Conduct government job searches using not only job title(s), but keyword(s). For example, “public administration” on USAJobs.gov will produce different search results than a particular job title. Results include a variety of agencies, departments and job titles that employ someone with this background.
- Review, analyze and archive public administration vacancy announcements for entry level jobs, mid-career jobs and upper tier positions. Announcements can be used for career management research and strategy. Announcements identify required knowledge, skills, and abilities for career progress, along with commensurate salary information. Announcements provide performance evaluation suggestions, such as key performance objectives and ideas for performance accomplishments.
- Incorporate vacancy announcement analyses into targeted employment communications. Revise applications, resumes, and cover letters using public administration keywords. Use knowledge and terms for interviews, objectives, accomplishments, and as a workload guide.
- Market finely tuned communication tools such as resumes and cover letters on Monster.com to increase recruiter hits. Often, human resource offices have automated resume sorting to screen resumes by keywords. Automated systems will more easily deliver candidate resumes to recruiters when resumes mirror the website terminology for that career field.
3. Link Into Career Ladder Keys
When using cross-functional keyword searches such as “public administration” on employment sites such as USAJobs.gov, a variety of job titles will appear, including “Public Affairs” titles. Review duties that can be performed across fields. This applied knowledge can position public administration employees for vertical or horizontal moves within or beyond a particular job title.
4. Explore Career Growth Plans via Opm.Gov
Career track information can be found on the Office of Personnel Management website (Opm.gov). When job skills searches identify job titles and careers, Opm.gov can provide everything an employee ever wants to know about a field, including the criteria used to demonstrate job skills or proficiency, and what it takes to move up to the next job level.
5. Set Strategic Public Administration Career Growth Plans
Both USAjobs.gov and Opm.gov can clue employees into keys about entry level, middle career, and senior position knowledge, abilities, and skills requirements. These requirements can lay the foundation and inform employees about training, education, experience, and skills that they need to achieve to advance. This same career growth information can be used when developing training goals, annual performance objectives, and annual performance accomplishments.
The government is the largest employer in the U.S. for countless reasons. These 5 Tips for Building a Career in Government can be applied to develop a successful public administration career through the years.
Marilyn Tate is a writer and city worker earning her online masters in public administration.
“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill
If you’re looking for IT sales jobs, computer jobs, web developer jobs, or IT support jobs, it’s best to use a specialist recruitment agency, as this will give you a head start.
Finding a new job is time consuming and if you’re already employed but looking for a better job, you just don’t have the time to search for jobs, make calls and distribute your CV.
As it can take up to six months or more to find the ideal job, it’s a good idea let a professional recruitment agency handle this for you.
Your chances of finding a job increase dramatically if you use a specialist recruitment agency, as they have a greater number of jobs on their books. This is not the case for a general recruitment agency, who may only have one or two jobs in your particular area of expertise.
Specialist agencies also have very close ties within the industry. By concentrating on one particular sector, they’re able to devote more time and effort to developing and building relationships with employers to discover exactly what they’re looking for.
Specialist recruitment agencies will even make contact with companies that you have identified as being of interest and check to see whether any suitable positions are available. So it’s a good idea to make a list of companies you’d like to work for.
An agency has the time, skills, resources and industry knowledge to help you search for the perfect match, and they’re often aware of job positions not publicly advertised.
They’ll also share with you useful advice on your future career path and help to make your CV stand out from the crowd. If there are no existing vacancies, they’ll often, on your behalf, check to see if a client wouldn’t be willing to create a vacancy, presuming the right person is available.
Another big plus is that they will help you prepare for interviews, giving you inside knowledge about the job, the company and its culture. You’ll have added confidence knowing you’re fully prepared and briefed for your interview.
A specialist agency saves you a great deal of time and effort by ensuring that a potential employer is genuinely interested in you and that the role and package meets with your approval.
They also help negotiate your start date and make sure that you and your employer are on the same page about what to expect from each other. Apart from setting up interviews, they also provide constructive post-interview feedback and, as the employer pays the recruitment agency fees, you benefit from a completely free service.
Adam Marsh writes articles relating to careers and job hunting on behalf of Adria Solutions, in Cheshire
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 We live in an “always online” world these days. Whether we are responding to emails at our desk, checking updates on Facebook, texting our friends, looking up just about everything on Google, it is never-ending. And when we can’t connect, like the 5 minutes our train goes through the tunnel or the 30 seconds we spend in an elevator, we get very agitated. There is this need to “communicate now”, although my favorite is watching people attempting to walk and text at the same time (and if you have any doubts, check out the amazing number of “texting while walking” videos on Youtube). Well job search is no different. No, not searching while walking (although I’m sure it’s been done), but being able to job hunt and manage your career from (almost) anywhere.
There are a several categories to consider:
- File management and storage and other utilities
- Job search (finding jobs that match your criteria)
- “Help” apps (like resume writing tools)
- Communications (emailing your resume, video chatting, etc.)
- Social networks (like LinkedIn)
There are probably hundreds of apps across the 5 categories listed above. Certainly too many for one article (hence the 5 part series).
Today’s post will cover 5 job search apps (obviously the tip of the iceberg).
File Management & Storage – So (my) quick definition of this category is any application that runs on a smartphone (iOS, Android or other) that allows the user to manage storage (in the cloud) of files, allows manipulation of files or allows the user to email the files . Unfortunately, there is no one app that will do everything (although some are close). Also, not every app is on every smartphone platform, but many are on both iOS and Android.
- Google Docs – Okay, so this is not actually an app, but you can access all of your Google Docs files via the browser on your smartphone. There are Google Docs applications from third party developers that will allow you to (somewhat) manage and change your Google Docs files. Not ideal, but a no cost alternative. Google has developed “Google Drive”, which allows you to share your Google Docs items with your cloud drive, however, no Google Drive app was available at the time of this writing.
- Dropbox – My favorite tool. You can store up to 2GB free and have your files available via an iPhone/iPad app or a PC or Mac desktop version. The mobile version allows the user to email their doc, or edit with a variety of tools (Pages, GoDocs, Quickoffice, Evernote and more). Anything updated, uploaded or changed on any device is synced and available on other devices. The only thing missing is a built-in editor.
- Box.com (aka Box.net) – The smartphone app is very similar to Dropbox, different interface. Basically, cloud storage but you need to leverage other tools (like Dropbox) to edit your document.
- Evernote – Access your files, email your files and change your files with the free version. You can’t, however, access your file offline with the free version. The paid version gives you offline access as well.
- Quickoffice Pro – Pretty much do it all. Access files saved directly on your smartphone, access files saved saved on Google docs, email files, edit files and create files. Pretty much your own local office with all of the flexibility of email and editing.
Good luck in your search.
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 “Long-range planning works best in the short term.” – Doug Evelyn
If you’re a job seeker looking for IT support jobs, computer jobs, IT sales jobs or web developer jobs, remember that you only get one chance to impress … and that means your CV has to be compelling.
Recruiters receive hundreds of CVs, so yours needs to stand out. Here are 5 useful tips to help make your CV do just that.
1. Keep it short and correctly formatted
Your CV should be short and to the point. As a guide, don’t let it run to longer than two A4 pages.
But what if you’re an older job seeker with many jobs to describe, what do you do then? Well in that case, don’t describe them. Rather focus on your most recent work experience and job performance.
If you feel you must refer to previous jobs, then make a separate list of these and refer to this list in your covering letter. This also applies to your qualifications.
Your CV will be read on-screen before being printed, if it ever is printed, so make sure it’s formatted in such a way that it’s easily read on a computer screen.
The recommended fonts are Arial or Times New Roman, in size 10 or 12. Don’t use italics and never use coloured borders or coloured backgrounds.
2. If you’re not qualified for a position don’t apply
Some people read a job advertisement and because it sounds exciting, decide to apply. Don’t waste your time doing this. Read the job description carefully and then ask yourself, ‘Do I have the right skills and work experience for this position?’ If the answer is yes then by all means apply, but if not move on and find something else.
3. Try not to bury important information
Recruiters want a CV to give them reasons to interview applicants. Make sure that what you can bring to the job is easy to find, easy to understand and compelling. By making the recruiter’s job easier, you’ll be increasing your chances of success.
4. Lying or misleading information
Adding a little sparkle to your CV in order to describe yourself in a good light is acceptable, but don’t take this too far. Recruiters are quick to spot information that doesn’t add up like inflated salaries, qualifications, job titles and achievements. Many employers also conduct extensive background checks on applicants using specialist candidate checking services. So beware!
5. Don’t write meaningless introductions
If your CV has a paragraph that reads, “Enthusiastic, sales oriented, dynamic, IT literate, blah, blah, blah,” get rid of it. An opening paragraph that says everything and nothing at the same time is not going to excite a recruiter. Rather, draft a short, simple headline about yourself along these lines: “Senior IT Manager with 10 years experience of managing online resources in the health sector.” This will do a much better job for you and encourage a recruiter to continue reading.
Adam Marsh writes articles relating to careers and job hunting on behalf of Adria Solutions, in Cheshire
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 “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney
The dental profession offers numerous career opportunities. Apart from a general dentist, you can also opt for positions like dental hygienists, dental assistants, and lab technicians. Each profession in the dental field is equally important and carries a unique set of responsibilities and duties. Depending on your financial means and skill, you can opt for a suitable field in the dental profession.
Dentist
Common dentistry degrees awarded to general dentists include BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) and MChD/ BChD (Master/ Bachelor of Dental Surgery). Though named differently, both degrees are essentially the same, covering identical subjects. Dental specialists undergo additional training and education after receiving their degree in general dentistry.
The main responsibility of a general dentist is to coordinate different dental treatments after diagnosis. The treatment and management of a patient are handled by a general dentist. Taking overall care and maintenance of oral health, general dentists are trained in all procedures. Some examples of dental specialists include cosmetic dentists, orthodontists, endodontists and oral surgeons.
Dental hygienist
Focusing on preventive oral care, dental hygienists are preventive care professionals who have completed a recognised dental hygiene course. These professionals are licensed for dental hygiene and their main responsibility includes promoting good oral health through clinical, administrative, educational, therapeutic, and research services. With special focus on preventive oral health care, dental hygienists work with on specific skills under general dentists.
Dental assistant
Dental assistants are trained to assist dentists during treatments. These dental professionals are in charge of keeping the instruments and work area clean and often perform numerous lab procedures. From constructing dentures to carving models of the mouth and teeth, you can become a dental assistant with a high school degree and a few years of on-the-job training with a dental clinic.
A registered dental assistant is licensed from an accredited program. This license is received after intensive education including comprehensive written exams as well as practical exams. Certified dental assistants are allowed to perform more complex functions for the general dentist to ensure that all treatments are running smoothly. Dental assistants help improve the dentist’s efficiency by providing immediate services during treatments.
Dental lab technicians
Lab technicians in the dental profession are responsible for the creation of tooth crowns, bridges, dentures and other orthodontic appliances based on the written instructions provided by the general dentist. Dental lab technicians work in numerous settings. From personal labs to dental offices, hospitals and dentals schools, lab technicians also work for dental suppliers and manufacturers. To create contraptions for dental restorations and replacements, these professionals work with several materials like porcelain, wax, plastic, as well as precious or non-precious alloys.
To become a dental lab technician, a college degree is preferred. But lab technician careers can also begin with on-the-job training in dental offices and labs. With an average training of two years, you can become an accredited dental lab technician.
Penny Cooper is an expert associated with Dental Gateway, UK’s premier online network for dental professionals. Counted among the best ways to find temporary and permanent jobs in the UK, you stand to save £1000’s on recruitment fees with Dental Gateway. If you are looking for vacancies for dental receptionists, Dental Gateway is the place to go.
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 “Wise men don’t need advice. Fools won’t take it.” – Benjamin Franklin
I get regular emails from my readers suggesting career or job search related articles. I tend to save those until I have enough for a post (20 sounds like a good number). Thanks to everyone for submitting these articles. Enjoy!
- THE NEW NETWORKING: ULTIMATE LINKEDIN GUIDE FOR 2012 GRADS – This article, from Onlinecolleges.net, provides some great LinkedIn tips for updating/creating your profile, connecting with those you should, how to ask for recommendations and more. Take a look.
- THE NEW NETWORKING: ULTIMATE FACEBOOK GUIDE FOR 2012 GRADS – Following on from the article above, this article (also from Onlinecolleges.net), this article provides similar pointers for Facebook.
- 43 Things Your Future Boss Wants You to Know – Thebestcolleges.org published this article (I wish I had this advice when I graduated college – about 1 million years ago) which provides some great basics. Some of this stuff you would learn the hard way (which can be painful and hurt your career prospects). Tips such as “how to send an email” and “how to listen” provide some great information. Take a read.
- 8 Great Careers for Older Workers – We will all get there some day (older that is). I’ve been there for awhile (now looking for careers for ancient workers). Anyway, enough about me. This article is posted by Businessinsurance.org and provides some great ideas for that next career.
- 10 Degrees Hiring Managers Don’t Want To See – Hopefully you knew this information before you declared your major (or graduated). Posted by Bestdegreeprograms.org, this infographic has some interesting statistics.
- Women @ Work – Sound Bites, Statistics of Women Who Lead – While we are on the topic of infographics (and in the spirit of Careers), this infographic is posted on the University of North Carolina’s MBA site (http://onlinemba.unc.edu) and provides some really interesting information on Women in the Workplace.
- Develop Your Personal Brand – This is a link to a great resource on personal branding posted on IdeasByNet.com’s blog. This free resource contains a lot of easy, actionable advice for both students and recent grad. The resource is designed to help people develop their personal brand which should help increase employability (among other benefits). Take a look.
- Should I Accept A Lower Level Job? – An age old question that we hear very often. This article, posted on Timsstrategy.com, is an excellent read on this topic and will help you come to terms with your views (and the views of others).
Good luck in your search.
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 “It’s not what you achieve, it’s what you overcome. That’s what defines your career.” – Carlton Fisk
With the economy suffering greatly, there are tricks to getting hired online because it can be a tough market out there. Right now, career tips outlined in the following article should help on ways to become employed.
The first tip would be to join a professional group or organisation. Around 70%-80% of jobs are given due to networking or referral programs. This makes it hard for those who are not included in these networking circles. So become involved, and join a group with similar interests and struggles. This can provide the path to getting hired. It is always helpful to be surrounded by people with the same ideas and backgrounds.
Volunteering is another way to join the social circle. This creates a surrounding with important people that may remember you when the time is right. Providing free time is very outstanding, and it can send red flags up to the right people.
A job club may help as well. By starting or joining a job club, insight on jobs available online may occur. Again, everyone involved is there for similar reasons. This creates insider knowledge on what is out there, and the group can discuss strategies and ideas on attaining jobs.
While online, remain positive. This is a huge benefit, and some companies do a check about online activity. Positive comments and feedback is suggested to represent a person well.
Another way to decide on a career path is to host informational interviews with professionals in the interested field. The future employee can know and understand the guidelines of the desired position.
A good rule of thumb would be to make looking for a job a full time job. It is not very successful to just apply to a couple of places. Put a CV on as many websites as possible. The more out there, the better chances that it has to get noticed.
A final idea is about the interview. This is the last chance available to be chosen for the position. Leave fairly early in order to plan for any last minutes problems that may arise. When arriving, fill out all necessary paperwork carefully. It will not matter how long it takes if it is correct. Also, make one final trip to the bathroom for any last minute grooming techniques.
Marie is a avid careers adviser who likes to aid many jobless and unemployed people with careers advice. Marie works for RecruitmentRevolution.com, who specialise in fixed price recruitment in the UK. For a low cost of £575, we will fill your company vacancies, doing away with the traditional agency fees. Read more on how much your business could save with online recruitment agency.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5927058
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