Phone interviews are as important as personal interviews. The former is the pre-requisite of the latter, so to speak, and both should not be taken lightly as these will lead you to your eventual hiring.

Phone interviews are either scheduled or unscheduled. In both instances, one of the best phone interview tips is for you to be prepared. You should more or less memorize by heart what your resume contains just in case the employer suddenly calls up catching you during unguarded moments. Likewise, keep track of the companies that which you have submitted job applications, with emphasis on their line of business/industry.

Whether the interview is planned or not, here are some phone interview tips that you should keep in mind during the actual process:

• Don’t smoke, chew gum, eat or drink. If the interview is unannounced, politely ask the interviewer to give you a few seconds to stop whatever it is that you are doing so that you can concentrate on your conversation;

• Grab a piece of paper and pen whenever available. It’s a good idea to take down notes for your future reference;

• Especially when at home, we tend to be cozy when talking to someone on the phone stretched out in our sofa. When we are in this mood, we tend to relax and may inadvertently give too much information than what is necessary. Our voice also has the tendency to sound laid back which may give the interview an impression of laxity. The position for you is to set up straight and be as businesslike as possible just like what you should do during an actual face to face interview;

• As early as now, try curtailing the “ums”, “uhs”, “hmmm” and similar expressions from your regular conversation, as these do not actually give you plus points whether during a phone interview or any form of oral communications;

• Allow the interviewer to finish his/her question or statement before you speak. And when you do, give just short answers in a clear manner;

• Smile! It gives you a positive aura that transcends even beyond the telephone lines;

• After the interview, don’t forget to send a thank you letter, and at the same time reiterate your interest in the job.

Phone interviews can sometimes unnerving since you do not a have visual image of the person you are talking to. On the brighter side, the interviewer does not see you also, which may be to your advantage because he or she does not see how nervous you may be.

The above-mentioned phone interview tips will help you go through the experience more confidently and impress the person at the other end of the line. Phone interviews are among the challenges of our professional lives, but remember, this part is just the beginning.

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For centuries, people have been taking advantages of the term “networking” to land a job. However did you know that the power of networking can be increased by ten folds? Social media websites have changed peoples views on job hunts. Recently, more people have become aware of the potential of these sites to increase the chances of a job seeker to land a job. But as a modern man, have you ever notice the importance of social media networking on your job search?

Due to the emergence of the Internet, job hunting has been completely revolutionized. In fact, it is quite unacceptable to ignore this emerging trend. As a job seeker, you should be flexible and be creative as much as you can. To gain an edge over your competitors, you must take advantages of social media sites before your competitors do. However, what are social networking sites and how do they work?

Social networking sites are websites that use social networking tools to attract online users. When you say social networking, it refers to the interaction or communication between people within specific groups such as friends, family, workmates and classmates. Hence, in a social media site, people share information to each other either in personal or professional level, or both. With this definition alone, Twitter itself is not proclaiming to be a social networking site. But still, the site is highly recommended for building up your network. So, how can you effectively benefit from these sites?

• Personal Branding – honestly, these sites strengthen your personal brand. You might know by now that personal branding is very important in a job hunt. However, it is not a new phenomenon. From the day you are born, you are already branding and marketing yourself. As a social being, it is natural to live your life based on other people’s view on you. Even if you do not admit it, you are living your life to the expectation of others.

• Profile Pitching – technically speaking, your profile on your social media accounts is your elevator pitch. It should be able to make a lasting impression of you in only ten seconds. Your opportunity on social media lies in you. What you represent will determine what opportunity will open up for you.

• Update Your Profile Picture – as they say, photos speak a thousand words. You do not want your potential employer to see your weird side. To capture people’s attention more, upload a photo with you smiling in it. Smile using your eyes and your lips. This is considered a true smile. Also, ensure that the photo is up to date. As you may have notice, your profiles in your social media accounts act the same way as your CV.

• Build a Positive Image – in social media sites, you can easily slip and ruin your reputation. The articles you submitted, the comments you posted and the pictures you uploaded will define who you are. They will influence the image you want to emit either in a positive on negative way. Hence, start your messages with a statement that will help in defining who you are. If you can, include your passions and ambitions in them.

Basically, you can utilize social media websites such Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as your online business cards. This way you can widen your online presence.

Landon Long is the founder of InterviewMastermind.com. You can download his FREE “Resume Rebel” Video Course to learn how to write a resume and stand out in a slow economy.

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So, you find yourself in need of a midlife career change? In today’s rapidly changing career landscape, this has become much more common than in years past. People in midlife often feel lost, unsure, and very puzzled by or unaware of their career choices. Often it’s a process of exploring and then discovering what your choices are, then understanding and weighing those choices against your needs, desires, and goals.

After discovering your choices and weighing them, there is process of developing a plan on how to acquire the specific job (or business) you desire to carry out your career objectives and make it happen. There is indeed a real sense of urgency when making a midlife career change for the obvious reasons, limited time before you plan to retire.

There are 5 broad career path areas to consider. These 5 areas are:

1) Employee

2) Entrepreneur

3) Degreed

4) Trade

5) Military

These can be single paths or some used together when they complement each other, such as starting a business on the side while working at your job, pursuing a degree in your spare time while working, or learning a trade. Midlife career change can include military as an option now with US Army taking recruits much older, up to age 42 at the time of this writing. Things are far more complicated than in years past!

An effective way to deal with this complicated process is to explore options working from broad (as in the categories above) to specific. The broad choices are like the main arteries / highways and the specific choices within those categories are like the roads leading off the highway. This is like going from broad to specific in your career choices.

What if you don’t know where to begin? A great place to start is thinking about what you love to do? Is there something that you love to do that would transfer over into a particular career? Think about what makes you feel good. What do you enjoy doing? You can only be great at what you love to do. Not everyone can do what they love to do for a living, but it should be your first choice to explore.

Finding a stable career area for the long term future is what you should seek. Some strong areas to consider are: 1) Medical, 2) Education, and 3) Government. This and much more is discussed at length in my book Choosing the Right Career Path. Do take the time to explore your choices and I wish you a great career!

Choosing the Right Career Path

For more information on careers and career change, visit the blog at:

Choosing the Right Career Path

If you are seeking a midlife career change or you are in the early stages of your career you can benefit from the blog or the book.

Author, writer, and entrepreneur C. Mark Johnson holds a degree in business management, numerous certificates, and is a United States Air Force Veteran.

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