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.

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

Whenever you eye a position and show your interest, a decision maker or a hiring manager will ask for your resume at one point during the hiring process. And what’s written in and how your resume is written will say if you will advance in the process or not. A resume is a very important sales tool that affects the outcome of the hiring process.

If you are like many of the people out there who just don’t know what to put in their resume and how to organize their resume correctly, then this article is for you. This is one of those making a resume guide, only better because it’s coming from a real expert. Yes, I am a successful employment coach and I will be sharing good information so better be ready.

Tip 1

When making a resume, only include content that are relevant to the job you are applying for. A fast food chain managerial experience won’t do any good if you are applying for a pilot’s position. Makes sense? Keep in mind that every word or sentence in your resume needs to serve a purpose. Go over the job requirements once again and determine the skills and experiences needed, then identify you own skills and experiences.

Tip 2

We are all very skilled and talented individuals but there’s no need to highlight skills and knowledge that are not relevant to the job. There are 3 types of skills.

Personal skills – Characteristics that are innate to a person; such as, being honest, creative, disciplined, honest, ethical, driven etc…

Transferable skills – Skills, knowledge and abilities acquired through training and experience. Examples of this are problem solving skills, listening skills, public speaking etc…

Job related skills – Skills that you learn on a specific job like how to operate a backhoe, how to operate a production line etc…

Of those 3, you only have to concentrate on transferable and job related skills. And make sure that you are highlighting skills that will tell the interviewer that you are the right person for the job.

Tip 3

This is crucial when making a resume. Your resume should be clear and easy to understand. Don’t use jargon and highfalutin words that only you can understand. Use simple words that convey your message clearly. Believe me, the moment a recruiter notices that you are trying to overly impress him, resume is down the drain.

Those are 3 valuable tips that will not only make making a resume easy for you, they will also help you draft a resume that will actually get you call backs. Remember, a simple and concise resume earns results.

Step 1: Communicate effectively.  Nonverbal communication counts for 93% of all language.  If we break it down, only 7% of communication takes place as a result of the actual words we say.  The rest of the pie is made up of 38% tone and 55% body language.  To truly communicate effectively, your non-verbal communication has to be in accordance with what you are saying.  Nod your head during the interview questions to communicate that you follow.  Maintain eye contact.  Sit towards your audience.  Keep your arms and hands pointed toward your audience.  Smile often and show enthusiasm to win your audience over.

Also, be mindful of your audience’s body language.  Are they interested in you?  Have you captured them effectively?  Specifically ask a relevant question to those you have not yet won over to get through specifically with them. Throwing effective interview questions and answers requires conjunction in your body language, tone, specific language.  Practice if it will make it easier.

Step 2: Follow up is relevant. Make sure you collect business cards from everyone in the interview as well as everyone you spoke with along the way.  This includes the person scheduling the interview, the secretary you spoke with on the phone, etc.  Everybody gets a hand written thank you note.  Make sure all names and titles are spelled correctly and have the notes mailed within 24 hours.  In the message, add something compelling to further strengthen your personal skills and desire for the position.

In order to get the job offer, you have to interview effectively!  Although the interview questions and answers component can create some trouble for you, the more you practice and prepare, the more confident you become and the better you perform.

Good luck with preparing your interview questions and answers and awesome interviewing!

Tip #1: Only include relevant content.  When making a resume, approach it from the perspective that every word needs to serve a purpose.  That purpose is dictated by the position you are competing for.  What education is required? Which of your skills must be emphasized?  Are additional certifications or special talents requested?  Your resume needs to highlight your relevant skills, education and strengths required to successfully perform the duties of THIS position.  (Notice specific emphasis on “this”.)  Undoubtedly you have additional strengths, yet as much as you want to show off your additional abilities, keep your content relevant.

Tip #2: Every job seeker has three types of skills. These skills include personal, transferable and job related.  When making a resume, only transferable and job related skills need to be highlighted.  There is no purpose to including your personal skills.  These skills include those characteristics innate to you such as being dependable, honest and ethical.

Anyone can claim these traits and because you have minimal space (1-2 pages) on your resume, you want to add skills that are verifiable and proven.  For example, a potential employer can verify your job title, dates of employment, and sales growth or customer service satisfaction ratings.  It is much more difficult to verify your reliability.  Leave personal skills off of your resume.  Instead, have others speak to them through letters of recommendation and testimonials.

Tip #3: When making a resume that earns results, make your content clear and easy to understand.  Depending on your experience and employment history, you may find yourself adding certifications, training and other information.  Be careful not to use abbreviations and industry jargon.  Many human resource professionals are not up to speed with industry terminology and you want to eliminate the risk of generating questions about your candidacy.  Write your content in a fashion that takes the guesswork out of your certifications, training and skills for maximum effectiveness.

Making a resume requires thought and purpose.  After you draft it, have someone else read it to provide you with feedback.  Identify what needs clarification and what may not read well.  Make sure it is properly suited to the functions listed in the job description.

Do you remember the time when you have last re-worked your resume? If you have just started looking for a job, then that resume may already lack recent information about yourself. Most probably you are already planning to edit your resume, but you just don’t know how to.

A resume writing template then can be a great assistant in making your own resume the right way. Depending on your background and experience, you can use any of the three formats.

These formats can be acquired from the resource page at www.SeanMcCaffrey.com where you can pick out any resume writing template that would best suit your past experience as well as your achievements. You can also find various formats in writing a resume on my eBook “Resume Writing Made Easy”.

Using a format that is not accurate can jeopardize your chance of getting hired. I would strongly suggest employing a resume writing template to guide you through your own process of writing your resume. You can then make your resume different when it comes to its body. Put some personal touches into it.

There are available resume writing template software programs around but they may prove difficult not just for you but also for the person who will read your CV. I can cite a couple of reasons for this:

1) It is almost impossible to change anything in the template.

2) There is a very good chance that formatting codes will be seen or the formatting itself will be lost when you try to send the CV through email. You are actually giving the employer a bad impression about you and your resume.

You can keep yourself from falling into this trap by employing a resume writing template just as a guide in giving you ideas on how to create a layout of your own resume by opening a new document and formatting it on your own taste. This way, your resume will be exactly what it is when you send it and you can edit it every time you want to. You can then compare the resume writing template with the one you have written.

It is surely bad to waste your own time. Use your time properly by maximizing your chance in your job search.

1. One of the most common of the job hunting myths and first in our list is the job hunt using internet job boards. You might have another opinion regarding this. However, you need to keep in mind that these internet job ads are only able to help just about 3 percent of job seekers.

Most people seeking for jobs who fall into the trap of searching for jobs using online employment ads and even applying to them. There are also other job seekers you have to compete with in getting the position which lessens your chance of getting employed and heightens your feeling of failure.

2. The second in our job hunting myths list is relying on recruitment agencies to get employed. Yes, they can provide help but you have to think that companies hire them to hire people like you. It is also a fact that recruiters are deeply connected to companies who would hire.

The downside, however, is that you may be able to maximize the fee that is meant for you. This is because what the employer will pay you already includes the fee they will give to the recruitment agency. That means that the salary offered to you by the employer will still be deducted. I am sure that you would agree that you do not want to spend on something that you know you can live without.

3. The third part in our job hunting myths is the idea that only people who are younger can utilize social networking sites to boost their chance of getting employed. This is obviously a myth because as what you would be able to observe right now, there are more people who are middle-aged and on their prime years that are taking advantage of Facebook, MySpace, and other networking sites to hunt for jobs.

If you are one of these older people, do not worry because companies also use these social networking sites to hunt for new employees to train and they often look at the experience and background of the applicants, not the age.

Social networking is basically for everyone, most especially because they are free. Your personal qualifications are already prepared in just one setting so you do not have to alter your CV and credentials time and time again.

Now that you are aware of the job hunting myths that would lead you into unemployment and frustration, you have to arm yourself with the precise processes that work. Note that job hunting is not a simple task but you have to put your mind and body into it for you to get the wanted results.

You have a problem though, especially if you are starting a new career, competition is stiff and most companies prefer those who have experience on the job. What do you do then? It’s all just a matter of making a good impression on your interview, you may not have the experience but if you were able to present yourself well, you’ll have a good fighting chance.

Experts say that first impressions are made within the first 8 seconds. And how you walk in the room and say hello is part of that impression. This is a reality that every job seeker has to embrace, it’s some sort of a mind game that you play on an interview. How do you then make a good impression and increase your chances of starting a new career? Here are some tips.

Eye Contact – Maintaining eye contact shows your interest and eagerness to get the job.

Firm handshake – A firm handshake is a symbol of being strong and assertive.

Confidence – This has to do with how you talk, how you move, and how you carry yourself throughout the meeting. Talk confidently and with conviction, you may even disagree with what the interviewer is saying. Of course, you don’t argue with them but relaying your point is OK.

These are very important factors that will greatly affect your chances of starting a new career. These are factors that are within your control so taking advantage of them is essential. Ask some of your close friends and colleagues about their first impression of you. If it’s not positive then follow the tips above until you get a good response. Remember, this is something that you can practice and perfect so you should have no excuse for failing to make a good impression.

Exercise #1: In thinking of what job is right for me, I went through a worthwhile exercise of identifying what I wanted to do; which tasks I enjoyed doing; what kind of environment I wanted to work in; the kind of people/ideas I wanted to surround myself with; and who the intended target audience was for the goods/services I had a sincere interest in serving.  Finding the answers to all of these questions will provide you with clarity in identifying your ideal path.

Tip #2: Now that my career path had more clarity, the next step in the process of what job is right for me was to create a target list of companies that typically hire for positions that utilize my skill set, experience, education and passion.  In creating this list, I developed a method to qualify them based on my personal values and interests.  For those companies that survived this step, I continued in my due diligence in making contact and setting up appointments. For those that did not make the cut, they were replaced by other potential prospects.  This practice was rinsed and repeated until I earned the desired employment opportunity.

In addressing the question of what job is right for me, these exercises proved extremely worthwhile in adding focus and resolve to job hunting.  By asking yourself what you want to do, which audience you want to serve, what your long term career goals are and where you want to be, more clarity will come your way as well. You are also making yourself ready to answer typical interview questions.  By not taking this step, you take the risk of accepting a job that you may not be passionate about, which will lead to job dissatisfaction and an unfair situation for both you and the employer.  The next stop from there is back into the unemployment line.