Despite the Crisis are There Still Places Hiring?

Because of the current financial crisis and mass lay offs going on all over the country, many people ask if there are still places hiring. It may not be obvious but yes, there are still a lot of places hiring and companies looking to fill important posts.

According to a CNN report, industry giants like Google, Microsoft, Whole Foods, and other fortune 500 companies are looking to fill lots of jobs this year. You can read the whole story by following the link below.

Read the full story here

Another industry that is gaining steam is the “Green” industry. More and more people and companies are doing their share to save the environment and this results to an ongoing demand for… err… green people.

Though it is evident that there are a lot of opportunities in the green sector, weeding them out can be a little difficult. I suggest you check out http://www.greenbiz.com if you are interested in this type of jobs. Greenbiz keeps themselves updated on the latest trends in the green sector and they monitor its relationship with other industries.

Other sites that list places hiring in the green industry

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com – One of my favorite sites to visit when I’m looking for green jobs. There is a tab called “Green Dream Jobs” where you’ll see tons of green listings. You can also narrow your search according to skill level and geography for more targeted results.

http://www.environmentalcareer.com – Another good site to check for places hiring in the green sector. Last time I checked, they have 123 jobs listed on their board.

http://www.treehugger.com – There is an incredible amount of information on this site, including a job board, under the “Take Action” tab on the far right.  In reviewing the available positions, there are over 200 jobs currently available.  The site allows you to filter by job function, location and experience level.

There are a lot of places hiring despite the current economic situation. You just have to know where to look, and of course, prepare yourself well so as not to ruin any job opportunity that you come across with. Once you’ve found green jobs that you’re interested in, make sure to do your research, tailor your sales tools, and make sure you win the job offer.

The Problem With Sample Interview Questions and Answers

I was browsing the net yesterday, looking for new interview questions and answers that other employment coaches have to offer, when I noticed something amiss. There are literally tons of interview questions and answers out there but I did not see a single site that shows readers how to answer the questions. They just provide the answers and that’s it.

Why is that bad?

Because most job seekers will just copy those answers without really understanding them, and when the interviewer throws in a follow up question, come interview time, they end up getting lost. This fact makes most interview help sites useless.

Realizing the need, I decided to write this article and fill in the blank. There are different types of interview questions and I will discuss 3 of them in this short article.

Behavioral interview questions – These types of questions are getting more and more popular as they not only test a person’s behavior over a given situation, they also show how a person recounts past events and how effective they are in conveying a message. It is some sort of a communication skills test as well.

Here is a sample behavioral interview question and answer

Give me an example of a time when you encouraged others

“The current financial meltdown led a lot of companies to downsize; it affected nearly every industry including ours. Several of my colleagues back then were hunting for other jobs because they were afraid that they might get laid off. Realizing the problem, I began talking with my group and told them that we should not abandon the company, if we carry out our job well the management will notice and we’ll be too valuable to let go of. So we stuck with the company and started multi-tasking because several jobs were left vacant. The corporation got through the crunch and we all got a reward for carrying out a great job.”

Notice that the answer starts with a situation, followed by an action, and then an outcome. This is the correct way to effectively answer behavioral questions. It has to be in that order so the message is clear.

Situational interview questions – These are the “what if” questions that are designed to test your problem solving and critical thinking skills. You are usually given a scenario where you have to choose between 2 actions that have specific effects on your job or personal life.

Here is a sample situational interview question and answer

What would you do if a team member is resisting a new idea you are introducing?

“I’ve worked in a team before and have been in this situation. What I did at that time was to speak with the team member who is resisting the idea and I tried to find out the reason for his resistance. Issues like this almost always boils down to mis-communication and misunderstanding on the team member’s part. Once I found out the reason for his resistance, I then formulated a solution and then we all agreed on the new idea.”

These questions require some thought because there will be a consequence no matter what action you choose. So you have to weigh your alternatives, evaluate the situation, prioritize, and then decide on which course to take.

Non-direct interview questions – These are general questions that don’t really ask for anything specific. One of the most common non-direct interview questions is;

“Tell me something about yourself”

In answering this question, you should be able to talk about your education, skills, experiences, and personality in as short as 2mins. Don’t get carried away and start telling stories that are irrelevant. As much as possible, relate your answer to the job you are applying for.

Those are 3 types of interview questions, and most importantly, how to answer them. It is advisable to think of possible answers to as many interview questions that you can find because you’ll never know what questions will get asked. It is also best to practice saying your answers out loud and see whether you are sounding like a robot or not. Nothing beats an applicant who is well prepared.

Expert Sean Mccaffrey talks about some more Interview tips