转发：Employment: Resume and Interview advice

sudahenry

看到 Whirlpool 上一篇好的帖子，涉及如何招工和面试的，特此转发一下。
With the amount of people asking for advice on resume's i thought i should collate and post this for everyone

Improve Your Resume "Simple Do's and Dont's"

The resume is a tool with one specific purpose, to win an interview. A resume is a brochure, nothing more, nothing less. It presents you in the best light. A good resume is a document that shows the real you -- without embellishment -- but most certainly in the most attractive light! In this highly competitive job market, your resume has to do more than provide a simple outline of your previous work experience - it needs to be strategically developed as a personal marketing tool.

To have the absolute best chance of getting that role, I recommend talking to a reputable resume writing consultant, someone who makes an art of creating the best resume.

The word resume comes from the French word "resumer" which means to summarise. So the exact purpose of a resume is to summarise your experience, knowledge, and accomplishments. Therefore, you must avoid being too wordy. Say exactly what you mean in the least number of words possible. The length of your resume is important. Resumes should be from 2 to 5 pages long. Don't be tempted to make your resume longer than 5 pages, even if you have a lot to tell. Remember that a resume is supposed to be a summary. A resume that is too long simply will bore the reader. There will be so much material that nothing will stand out and be remembered.

Following are some tips that will help you improve your resume, get it through the screening process and make it more appealing to potential employers

Don't lie. It's that simple. And don't be tempted to embellish the truth. Of course, you would be foolish to include in your resume anything remotely unflattering But the risks of fudging the truth in your resume far outweigh the benefits, particularly when it comes to specific facts, such as credentials and titles.

Objective Statement That Is Flowery or Too General. Many candidates lose their readers from the very beginning of the resume -- the "objective statement." The worst objective statements start with, "A challenging position that will enable me to contribute to organisational goals while offering an opportunity for growth and advancement." This type of statement is overused and too general, and therefore wastes valuable space

Too Short or Too Long. Too many people try to squeeze their experiences onto one page, because they've heard that a resume should never be longer than one page. When formatting the resume to fit on one page, many job seekers delete their impressive achievements. The reverse is also true. Take the candidate who rambles on and on for pages about irrelevant or redundant experiences -- the reader will easily be bored. When writing your resume, ask yourself, "Will this statement help me land an interview?" Only include information that elicits the answer "yes" to that question.

Too Focused on Job Duties. One of the most prevalent resume blunders is to turn a resume into a boring listing of job duties and responsibilities. Many people even use their company job descriptions as a guide to developing their resumes. To create a resume that is a cut above the rest, you should go beyond showing what was required of you, and demonstrate how you made a difference at each company. Provide specific examples of how the company benefited from your performance.

Typos! One typo can land your resume in the garbage. Two typos or more, and your chances are greatly diminished. Proofread, proofread, and proofread. This document is a reflection of you and should be absolutely perfect.

Use dates to show when you did things, not just the vague "one year".

Many people include their interests, such as reading, hiking, snowboarding, etc. These should only be included if they relate to the job objective

Personal information, such as date of birth, marital status, height and weight, should normally not be included on the resume.

Make sure your resume is complete with an e-mail address as well as a phone number

In a short, your resume can be described as a thoughtfully organised personal "brochure" that summarises your experience and highlights your achievements. It should present your skills, capabilities and strengths in the best possible light, without resorting to embellishment

sudahenry

Interview advice to follow:

Improve Your Interview Performance

Whilst the recruiting organisation may use other selection criteria such as reference checking and psychological testing, the interview will continue to be the primary method of selection. No matter how impressive your resume to date, a poor performance in the selection interview will threaten your chances of eventual success. Below are some suggestions

Understanding the Purpose of the Interview

In every interview and no matter how junior or senior the position, the interviewer will be probing for the answers to three basic questions:

Can you do the job? (Your skills, qualifications, experience).
Will you do the job? (Your motivation, attitudes and career goals)
Will you fit into the team? (Your cultural match).

Also understand that most employers now recognise the link between past and future behaviour and so will be attempting to ascertain previous and current performance to answer the above. For most positions the interviewer will be drawn towards positive, likable people and so you should aim to project that image.

Preparation Will Give You the Edge

The more information you have about your market value and the prospective employer, the greater your likelihood of success. This is the first commandment because it's the most important.
There's a wealth of information available on the Internet, at the public library and through professional associations and networking groups. Be clear about the exact time, date and place of the interview and the contact name and position. Research into the organisation so that you know about its size, market sector, products and services, locations, recent growth and any recent headlines news concerning the organisation. Also, look for the specific information regarding your discipline.
Review your own resume and have a clear understanding of your key responsibilities and achievements at your current and past employers.
Review your probable answers to likely questions in the interview.
Your goal should be to provide answers that are "tailored to the positions and paint the picture of you being positive and with the potential to add value.

Bearing in mind the "can you, will you, culture" scenario likely questions could include:

Tell me about yourself?
What value have you added to your current employer?
Tell me about your greatest problem at work. How did you solve it?
What are the characteristics of a good ("whatever the job you are applying for")
Do you have those characteristics? Give examples.
What are your career goals? How will you achieve them?
Describe the environment in which you would wish to work.

Interviews are a two-way process and you must be able to gather information about the company to make an informed decision. Review the questions you wish to ask the interviewer.

Good Presentation is Vital

First impressions count, so ensure you are well groomed and that your clothes reflect the business image you wish to project.

Improve your Technique

Never lie, but use the truth to your advantage It's not only wrong to lie, but in employment negotiations, it's ineffective. If you lie during negotiations, sooner or later you're likely to be caught. Once you are, even if you don't lose the offer, you'll be at a tremendous disadvantage, and your credibility will always be suspect. On the other hand, total candour won't be rewarded. You're under no obligation to blurt out everything you know. You can determine what you want to say and how you want to say it, and try to put everything in its most positive light. One key element of your preparation should be to recognise areas of concern so you can rehearse how to handle them when they inevitably come up.

some suggestions for improving your technique in the interview.

Arrive early. However, if you think you may be late, ring first to apologise.
The first five minutes are vital. So greet the interviewer enthusiastically using their surname and shake their hand firmly.
Learn to listen as well as talk, it will give you valuable clues as to the responses required.
Watch your body language. Interviewers will recognise a lack of congruence between what you and your body are saying.
Smile, it builds a bridge between you and the interviewer.
When answering use "action" words such as achieved, managed, improved. The interviewer will want to recruit an individual who can add value to their organisation and can solve problems and exploit opportunities.
Don't over-answer questions. Keep answers informative but relatively brief.
If you are asked about your expectations, give as general an answer as you can until you know that they wish to make you an offer.

Avoid Being Negative

Since the interviewer will be looking for positive likable people, any persistent characteristics you display will be noticed and may count against you. Some common negatives among senior as well as junior executives include:
Poor personal appearance.
Insufficient knowledge about the company.
Lack of interest or enthusiasm.
Lack of detail about experience and abilities.
Over emphasis on personal gain.
Lack of purpose regarding your career.

Closing the Interview

A positive close can sometimes rescue an otherwise average interview performance. Reaffirm your interest in the position (you can always change your mind later) and ascertain the next step in the selection process.

Thank the interviewer for their time and depart with another positive handshake and sustained eye contact.

sudahenry

Further Advice on interviews - this is advice i have taught job seekers and graduates for recruiters

Dress

It doesnt matter what the job is you dress in business clothing and your dress in clean and pressed business clothing - this is important as you are making an impression

Men

Suit and Tie - ALWAYS - it doesnt matter what the role is a suit and tie is appropriate to all interview situations in the IT industry - sure the company might have a casual dress code but that doesnt apply to you - second interviews may be different, one previous employer told me to just wear jeans and a tshirt when coming back as that was the dress code.

Buy a decent suit - as much as you can afford (HINT : $199 from dimmeys or lowes is NOT a decent suit) - i advise people to budget at least $300 but more realistically $500 is a good budget - YES its a lot of money but it will not be worn once and if you get a good suit that fits well and looks good on you it can last you a number of years.

The best advice is hunt around for the discount outlets of major store - Xile in brisbane have one and theres places like Bridge Road in Richmond in melbourne - AVOID this years fashions - suits that make fashion statements date rather fast - i simply advise most guys to get a single breasted if theyre fairly slim of if bigger like me go for a classic double breasted - charcoal or navy (avoid black - its not a funeral) Get a good wool or wool blend suit (avoid gaberdine or polyester etc) and treat it well (dont wear the trousers without the jacket, dont wash it in a washing machine, press only with a cloth etc) and it will last you for years - Oh a note - never take off your jacket in an interview unless they invite you too (even then i often dont) - what are you going to do with it anyway ? and taking it off without being invited is rude

Shirt and Tie - when you buy your suits get some decent shirts - if you buy from most places you can get a deal and i advise doing it - dont go for fashionable, slim cut or fancy patterns go for plain whites or blues and get 2-3 so you can alternate them (they wear out you know) - again Lowes is NOT a good place to buy shirts (or dimmeys etc..) - Plain White and Plain Blue always stay in style and they can be matched with lots of colored ties - ALWAYS iron a shirt regardless of the jacket being on or off

Tie - tie choice is personal but i advise something thats not outrageously bright or patterned for people who are starting to wear suits - The color can say a lot about you if you believe that thing - theres lots of information on this around (NEVER EVER EVER IN A MILLION YEARS WEAR A NOVELTY TIE - you might think im joking but i have seen people interview in fish ties (the ones that look like a fish), Ties with lights in them etc - DONT EVER DO IT UNLESS APPLYING FOR A JOB AS A CLOWN)

Shoes - Black, leather and polished - keep them polished at all times and always polish them before an interview - yes they look at your shoes - i always do when interviewing - clean Dark socks as well (avoid bright colors ok)

Women

Look I am a man so i can only comment on what i have seen in interviewees and what i look for but basically its the same - professional looking and neat - that to me means stockings, polished shoes and no skin - nothing looks worse than those little halter tops showing off the belly - its a job interview not a date - dress down - oh and short short skirts say something you might not want to say - id avoid them (i remember a group interview i was once part of with a young lady in a short short skirt (wide belt) and i could have probably told you what color underwear she was wearing but not much else (oh yeah crossing legs is a good idea - especially if its a group of men and youre in a chair in the middle of the room (government style) - this is NEVER good - dress professionally (this is something i consider inmportant for young women as the dress standards for women are very different to men in terms of what is important - just remember that for all you know you might end up being interviewed by a 55 year old ex catholic nun...)

Grooming - This is one many people i have interviewed over the years need BIG help on - its something they seem to miss somehow

Brush your teeth and use a breath freshner - no one wants your smelly breath
Clean Fingernails - yep micheal we look
Neat trimmed nails - nail scissors or clippers are cheap - invest in some
Shave - one that never amazes me is guys who turn up with a 5 o'clock shadow - nope clean shave - if you have a beard either ditch it or trim it neatly (i personally dont like them but thats me) - use moisturiser and after shave but DONT OVER DO IT
Cologne - Dont wash in it - if you dont wear it dont - overpowering cologne or perfume is NOT pleasant in a small room
Body Odor - use deodorant and try and shower as close to an interview as possible
Hair - net and trimmed, washed and brushed - keep it cut neat when looking for a job
Peircings etc - A grey areas - bascially if you have lots of them or if its a lip of nose or eye brow etc i advise taking it out - think about the likely age and profile of the company and the person interviewing you - yes this CAN be a deal breaker

If this all sounds hard then remember thats what the guys are doing and its what is expected.

Oh and on interviews and how to behave - some things i have seen and learned..

Sit up straight, Speak Clearly, Make Eye contact (lots of people fail at this), Avoid fidgeting, avoid slang, NEVER EVER swear even if the interviewer does it - just dont ok (there are many good reasons for this..) , be polite and dont waffle.

And lastly - get a good nights sleep the night before, dont drink and get a good breakfast the morning of the interview - you want to go in rested, happy and comfortable and feeling good about yourself

milanmengxiang

不错呀，值得学习

Vivien47

太棒了，谢谢分享！