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Basic Savings Strategies for Early Career Professionals

27 January 2012, 9:56 am

Have you recently entered the professional job market? If so, it’s certainly in your best interest to develop a personal savings plan. If you don’t, you just might find that all of the money you are earning as a working professional disappears before you even realize what happened to it.

Three Basic Savings Tips for New Career Professionals

Here are a few basic savings strategies to consider as you are beginning your professional career:

  • Choose a Savings Account – Select a savings account so that you have a place to put some of your money other than a checking account that is tied to your debit card. Be sure to compare savings account interest rates so that you can be sure that you are putting your funds in an account that will allow you to maximize your earning potential.
  • Utilize Automatic Deposits – It’s hard to move money from your checking account to a savings account once you see the funds in your pool of available money. That’s why it’s a good idea to send some of your money to savings before you ever actually see it in your checking account deposit. Most companies allow employees to split their paychecks between two bank accounts. Set up an auto-deposit that sends a certain amount of your money to your savings account each month. Choose a set amount that you aren’t likely to miss if it is gone – or a percentage of your earnings.
  • Participate in Your Employer’s Retirement Program – If your company offers a 401(k) plan, be sure to participate as soon as you have been there long enough to be eligible to participate so you’ll have a head start on preparing for retirement. This is especially true if your company matches a portion of the money that you direct toward the account. Try to adjust your budget so you can take full-advantage of the company match; doing otherwise is really just turning down free money.
Filed under Work Life Balance.
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Body Language Tips for Your Next Interview

25 January 2012, 4:02 am

It’s only human nature for us to be cognizant of our body language when in an awkward, uncomfortable, or nerve-wracking social situation of any sort. Whether we’re at a dinner with new people, presenting as a business event speaker, or sitting for an interview, there’s a good chance that all but the most confident of us will be more aware of each and every body motion. Sometimes this awareness can be beneficial for our disposition. Most of the time, however, it is only distracting and burdensome at a time when our mind is best served to focus on something else.

Both the benefits and detriments of a heightened body language awareness are exhibited when we interview for a new job. If you think too much about your hands during an interview, for example, you may stumble over a key question or appear overly uncomfortable in the process. But if you are well-prepared and follow a few tips, you can turn this awareness into a definite positive.

Here are a few of the main tips to keep in mind:

Keep Eye Contact Vague and Consistent

Eye contact is perhaps the most important component of body language. When in an interview, you want to make eye contact with your interviewer, but you don’t want to be too penetrating with your gaze. Instead, you ideally will want to look into his eyes at times and away at others – without moving your eyes too much or ever looking down. How can this be accomplished? The easier way to do this is probably by consistently looking at the interviewer’s forehead or hairline. This insures a degree of eye contact that is neither lacking nor overwhelming.

Engage Your Body Appropriately

When the interview is talking about the company or explaining a query, you want to appear thoughtful and contemplative. This is best done by sitting back (but not “lounging”) in your chair. On the other hand, when you are explaining an answer or listening to a question, you want to convey an air of engagement and heightened interest – an air best communicated by leaning forward in your seat. Ultimately, then, appropriately moving your body backwards and forwards is a great way of conveying the right traits at the correct times.

Don’t Fidget

This last tip is an obvious one, but a fidgeting interviewee is often viewed as a nervous and less capable one. Fidgeting can also distract your interviewer, thereby making it harder for them to accurately assess you. Try to practice curtailing any fidgeting tendencies when you prepare for your next interview. Clasp your hands, keep your feet flat on the ground, and generally explore any technique that can insure you won’t appear jittery when interview day arrives.

These are some of the main tips to keep in mind when preparing your body language for an interview. Having the correct body language is certainly only a minuscule part of the interview process, but it is an important component to work on nonetheless.

Filed under Job Interviewing.
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Employment Screening Considerations for Job Seekers

23 January 2012, 10:07 pm

Are you in the process of searching for a new job? When you’re ready to seek new employment, applying for open positions and preparing to answer interview questions aren’t the only preparation steps you need to take. These things are certainly important, but it’s also essential to be aware of all of the various factors that might impact whether or not you are likely to be hired for the type of job that you want.

Five Employment Screening Considerations

Here are a few things to consider when preparing for a job search from the perspective of the various types of screening processes commonly used by employers.

  1. Background Screening – More and more employers are running thorough background checks on people they are considering hiring. It’s important for you to be aware of any problems that might show up on your background check so that you can be prepared to answer any questions that may be raised.
  2. Credit History – Some employers only run a criminal history while others also look at credit history. If you’re applying for a job where you’ll be handling money or might have access to company or client money or accounts, don’t be surprised if potential employers pull a credit report as part of the screening process. It’s a good idea to pull a free credit score report at the beginning of your job search so that you know what employers who review your credit are likely to see.
  3. Drug Testing – Almost every employer requires employees to pass a pre-employment drug test. Some companies require applicants to report for testing as soon as they apply, while others require testing on interview day or at some other time. You’re not likely to be given advance notice of when a test will be required.
  4. Reference Checks – Employers often contact previous employers to find out what they have to say about people they are considering hiring in addition to the people who are listed as references on applicants’ employment applications.
  5. Education Verification – Employers aren’t likely to take applicants at their word regarding the educational credentials they have achieved. It’s very easy to verify if an applicant attended and/or graduated from schools reported on their applications and resumes, so they typically do just that.

Are You Prepared?

These aren’t the only important background screening considerations to keep in mind when you’re looking for a new job, but they’re a good place to stat. Make sure you’re ready to handle – and pass – whatever screening procedures potential employers use when making candidate selections.

Filed under Job References.
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What to Expect When You Attend a Job Fair

21 January 2012, 3:31 pm

Are you planning to attend a job fair for the first time? If so, it’s only natural to be a little bit nervous. While the idea of going to a major business expo event can be a little nerve wracking for job seekers, it’s important to realize that the companies that choose to participate in the event are doing so in the hopes of meeting qualified job seekers. They’re there for the purpose of meeting people just like you.

When you walk into your first job fair, one of the first things you’re likely to notice is how professional the exhibits are. Most, if not all, of the exhibiting companies will have attractive trade show booths where they’re waiting to talk to you – and possibly offer you an opportunity to apply for employment.

Many of the exhibiting employers will have invested in fancy exhibit booths that include visual displays, logo canopy exhibits, attractive table displays, logo mats and appealing trade show carpet. The professional displays should help make it clear just how serious the participants are about their recruiting efforts and why job fairs can be terrific resources for job seekers.
As a job fair attendee, you have a captive audience of recruiters who are ready to pay attention to what you have to say as you pitch yourself and your skills. What better opportunity to make important professional contacts, find out about job openings, and give yourself a competitive advantage in the job market?

Are you planning to attend a job fair for the first time? If so, it’s only natural to be a little bit nervous. While the idea of going to a major business expo event can be a little nerve wracking for job seekers, it’s important to realize that the companies that choose to participate in the event are doing so in the hopes of meeting qualified job seekers. They’re there for the purpose of meeting people just like you.

When you walk into your first job fair, one of the first things you’re likely to notice is how professional the exhibits are. Most, if not all, of the exhibiting companies will have attractive trade show booths where they’re waiting to talk to you – and possibly offer you an opportunity to apply for employment.

Many of them have invested in fancy exhibit booths that include visual displays, http://www.camelbackdisplays.com/Graphic-Tents.htm logo canopy exhibits, logo mats http://www.camelbackdisplays.com/logo-mats.htm and appealing trade show carpet http://www.camelbackdisplays.com/Page_11x.htm. The professional displays should help make it clear just how serious the participants are about their recruiting efforts and why job fairs can be terrific resources for job seekers.

As a job fair attendee, you have a captive audience of recruiters who are ready to pay attention to what you have to say as you pitch yourself and your skills. What better opportunity to make important professional contacts, find out about job openings, and give yourself a competitive advantage in the job market?

Filed under Job Search.
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