Negative Response—How to Deal with It?

It may so happen that despite of your best efforts and a very good interview, you may not get the final call for appointment to the position. This may be due to various reasons—

1) The position may have been filled,
2) The number of positions may have been small relative to number of applicants, or
3) The panel may have believed that your skill sets do not match the job description of the particular position.

Though it is normal to feel some disappointment, yet one should strive to take this as a learning opportunity. You should carefully analyze your interview, and be better prepared for the next opportunity. Though companies usually do not assign a reason for non-selection, yet you may thank the panel for considering you. You may indicate whether you would be interested in a future vacancy.

Resignation Letters: Important Guidelines

How to Write a Resignation Letter.

A resignation letter is one of the most important letters that you can ever write. Yet, few people give a conscious thought about how to write them correctly. Even if you are planning to change jobs well in advance, you will dedicate a lot of time in writing a perfect resume, work very hard to prepare well for the interview, and yet put off writing the resignation letter to the last minute. Now, that is a big mistake. How often do you find people who will tell you that they will like to change the way that they had written their resignation letter? May be, even you feel the same way sometimes.

A resignation letter is different from anything else, since you will inevitably become emotionally charged while writing it. Leaving a job can be a stressful experience. Sometimes, you can make the mistake of transferring these emotions and stress into the letter. Therefore, it is important to remember a few things when you write a resignation letter—


Be Positive

That is easier said than done, yet, it can have a great effect on the situations and the mood surrounding your departure. Regardless of your level in the organization, your colleagues, superiors and subordinates will definitely feel about your departure, and the feeling can be anything ranging from surprise to rejection. It is best to be sensitive to these feelings. You should not write anything to intensify or aggravate these feelings.


Strike a Balance

Once you have decided to leave, and you are sure about your decision, convey the message through the resignation letter. The words used should be firm; they should demonstrate your intent and purpose. Never try to negotiate through a resignation letter. All the negotiation and discussion should be done before writing the letter. Yet, it is important to strike a balance by using firm words, and at the same time, not alienating or provoking the employer unnecessarily.


Don’t Burn your Bridges

Your resignation letter should not alienate or provoke your employer by the use of inappropriate words. As far as possible, try to conserve your goodwill and keep your future options safe. It is a small world indeed. You never know that after sometime, your boss may also leave the organization, and join again as your boss in your new job. There is another reason for you to be careful—reference and recommendation. When you are applying for a new job, the new employer will inevitably ask for references, sometimes from previous employers. It is best to be balanced and professional in the wordings of the letter, even if the circumstances surrounding the resignation are not exactly so.


Different Letters for Different Purpose

It is a fallacy that you can resign only from a job. You can step down from a lot of other things, like the chairmanship of a committee or a board, while still retaining the employment. Obviously, the wordings and substance of a resignation letter in such a situation will be much different. The circumstances and reactions of the people surrounding you are also going to be different. Yet, the basic guidelines for writing the resignation letter will remain the same, namely; be positive, be professional and strike a balance.

The way that you leave your job is very important. It has implications on your personal life, your future professional life and your own self esteem. And the way you leave your job can be very much affected by the way you draft your resignation letter. Be objective and professional. Use words carefully and in a way which conveys your intent and purpose without showing your emotions. Don’t upset the employer by being reckless. Keep your goodwill, and keep your options open.

Resume Writing in the Digital Age

Is your resume state of the art enough? Is it e-mail friendly? If it is not designed to be friendly with the internet, you are only making you job search more difficult. Not to speak of the frustration when you don’t even get a response to the resume you sent on the e-mail. Well, your resume may need to be optimized before it becomes suitable for the internet.

When you upload your resume in the internet, it may need a little modification. Follow the tips given below and you can’t go wrong—

Use of E-mail

If the method of sending it in the e-mail has been specified, follow the instructions. If nothing is specified, send it both in the mail body and as attachment. This way you can be sure that it will reach the employer, since attachments might get filtered by spam filters. Always keep a Text version of resume with yourself, and take care that it does not get distorted when you put it in the mail body. You can dare to be different and use the PDF format. Few resumes are made in that format, and it will make your resume stand out in the clutter.

Keep it Simple

Keeping the resume simple is a good idea in itself, more so when using it over the internet. Do not use fancy designs and colored backgrounds. Use an e-mail friendly font like Arial, 10 or 11 pt. And do not attach your photograph to the resume, even if you are very good looking. It will slow down the uploading process, and it will take time to download at the employer’s end.

Optimize for Keywords

You might have uploaded your resume in career sites like Monster and Hot Jobs. When prospective employers search for suitable candidates, they search from these sites. The search is made the same way you search for a topic using search engines like Google or MSN. That is, relevant keywords are used. Thus, it becomes all the more important to list down all the keywords in your resume. Read the job descriptions of all the similar jobs in these sites and make a list of the relevant keywords. Use them in your resume. Also, use specific titles. Instead of just saying “Familiar with various Accounting Software”, list down the specific software that you know or used. Use bullet points. Make it easy for the search engines to find you.

With the rapid advancement of internet, the business of job hunting has been largely computerized too. Virtual job search companies like Monster and Hot Jobs have revolutionized the job search in the sense that your resume can now be available to thousands of employers at the click of a button. Also, it means you can search jobs sitting comfortably in front of your computer. Use the above tips, and you will definitely succeed.

Job Interview—Ten Commandments You Should Follow

Most of us harbor a healthy fear of facing an interview. It is a natural fear, born of facing the unknown. A few butterflies in the stomach are perfectly okay; in fact, it helps to keep you alert to the task at hand. Yet, a lot of people are overcome with this fear, and fail to perform to their best potential.

So, how do you overcome this fear? By preparing well, and following the Ten Commandments of the interview process. Follow them, and you will not go wrong—


1st Commandment

Do a SWOT analysis of yourself. SWOT means strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Align your strengths and opportunities to the job description, and analyze how you will overcome your weaknesses and threats.

2nd Commandment

Research the company. Look up at its official website, check its annual reports to learn of expansion and diversification plans and talk to present employees. Rehearse the interview with a friend, colleague or family members.

3rd Commandment

Prepare a list of common questions and their answers. The questions should include both what the interviewer will ask you, and what you will ask the interviewer at the end of the interview.

4th Commandment

Dress conservatively. Reach the venue 15 minutes early. Mind you body language. And smile!

5th Commandment

Answer precisely and crisply. Give practical examples of your skills and strengths. Be honest in your answers; if you don’t understand a question, say so. If you don’t know an answer, admit it.

6th Commandment

Be calm and composed during the interview. If you feel that the interview is not going well, don’t get frustrated; sometimes the interviewer may attempt to put you under pressure to gauge your reactions to pressure situations. Don’t get disappointed if expected salary is not discussed or a definite offer is not made.

7th Commandment

In the end, the interviewer will typically ask you to put up any questions on your part. Use the chance to ask the questions that you had prepared beforehand. This will reiterate your interest in the job. It is okay to ask the interviewer as to when the final decision regarding the hiring will be made.

8th Commandment

Immediately after the interview is over, make a written evaluation of your performance. Note down the questions asked and your responses. Note down any further areas of possible improvement.

9th Commandment

Do follow up. Send a brief and professional thank you letter to the interviewers within 24 hours of the interview (you can send this over e—mail). Thank them for the opportunity and giving their time, and reiterate your interest in the position.

10th Commandment

If an offer is made, make your decision and convey it within the time frame mentioned in the offer letter. If no such time frame is mentioned, one to two weeks is a reasonable time. Send a reply even if you don’t accept the offer. In case of a negative response, do not lose heart. Keep trying. Learn from your experience and improve the next time.

An interview is the most crucial part of the selection process, and you can succeed in it by following the strategy of the Ten Commandments. So, go ahead, prepare yourself well for the D-Day, follow the Ten Commandments, and nothing can stop you from achieving success in the interview. Be yourself, and enjoy the experience. Wish you all the best

4 Brutally Effective Interview Preparation Techniques

Most of us harbor a healthy fear of facing an interview. While it is OK to have a few butterflies in the stomach, in fact, it actually helps; it is irrational to be afraid of facing an interview. Probably that fear stems from our fear of failure. It is possible to succeed in an interview by preparing beforehand.

These simple but effective techniques will go a long way in helping you prepare better for your interview—

Do a SWOT analysis of Yourself

SWOT means strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. List them down. Align your strengths and opportunities to the job description. List down specific examples how you used your skills and strengths to achieve results. Analyze how you will overcome your weaknesses and threats.

Research the Company

Go through the official website of the company. Read up about the company and its business, growth trends, expansion and diversification plans, industry analysis etc. Talk to present employees to learn about their experiences and challenges.

Rehearse the Interview

Make a full dress rehearsal. Get your friends, colleagues or family members to act as the panel. Practice your answers before a mirror—this will help to program your hand movements while answering. Take this rehearsal seriously; use it to iron out any difficulties and to improve your responses.

Prepare and Practice Common Questions and their Answers

Most of the questions that the interviewers ask are usually common for every interview. These include questions like—“Where do you see yourself 5/10 years from now”, “Why do you want to leave your present job” and “Tell me 5 reasons why I should I hire you”. At the end of the interview, you may be given a chance to ask any questions. Prepare these questions beforehand too.

If you prepare yourself well beforehand on these lines, it will be indeed hard for the interviewer to reject your application. So go ahead, prepare, prepare and prepare. All the best!