Proper Actions Can Lead To Success During Your Interview

by cjxpadmin | Dec 3, 2013 | December 2013 Magazine, This Issue's FEATURE

I know you have probably heard it all with regard to interviews. Well, I am here to share just one more, or two maybe, items for you to ponder as you prepare for your interview.

First, we always have to think about our form of dress and appearance. Your appearance is the key to success. The main issue most people have with getting a job isn’t their background checks or history; it’s all because of their appearance and what they chose to wear to an interview.

You want to go into an interview with just a bit of degree higher than you would look if you were actually going to work there everyday. When going to interview, you should have a look preferred by the employer. You want to go a bit beyond that look. Ladies, short skirts or revealing dresses will not give the right impression. Gentlemen, showing off your abs with really tight clothes won’t do it either.

How you dress isn’t the only thing to affect you securing a well paying job. Your body language and posture are major factors as well. Walk with your head held high and your back straight.

When you are waiting or during the interview, you need to sit with your back straight and your hands placed in your lap. It’s not good to fidget or tap your fingers while in the waiting room or during your interview.

Many people have issues with being able to sit still for a long period of time.

A really good tip on being able to sit still for a good bit of time is to practice sitting a certain way at home to see how you are most comfortable sitting.

Your speaking is also a major factor in getting hired. You need to have the correct usage of words. You should pronounce each word so the employer or your interviewer can understand you and know what it is you are trying to say. You should not chew gum or have anything in your mouth at the time of your interview.

When you are speaking, make sure your points are valid and believable. Never rattle on and on giving the impression that you are uneducated or uninformed. You want them to believe you are as intelligent as you appear. A word you should never use during your interview is “ain’t.” Even though “ain’t” is in the English dictionary and is used as a non-standard term, it really has no use in the conversation when you are interviewing for a job. If you have to use big words, ensure that you know how to use them properly and make sure that you know what they mean.

When you shake the hand of the person who is interviewing you, make sure you shake their hand firmly and not wimpy. You don’t want to leave your interviewer with the thought that they were just holding a dead fish. Make your shake warm and energetic, but don’t break anyone’s fingers. When you see your interviewer approaching, stand up and move toward them. You should definitely make eye contact with them as you introduce yourself.

Firmly shake their hand and remember to keep either a smiling face or at least a pleasant looking face. After they introduce themselves, make sure that you respond with “Very nice to meet you Mr./Ms. ____.” Repeating their name allows you to remember who you are dealing with and it will help you know their name should you need to call back and ask about the status of your interview or in sending a thank you note after the interview.

Also remember to do your research on the company prior to going to the interview. It always helps to know something about the company and their policies before you go on the interview. If you get hired with this company, you want to ensure that it is going to be a position that you really wanted and a company that is within your realm of desires, needs and wants.

Check out locations, benefits, history, policies, staff and anything else you can find out about the company. Be well informed and you will succeed!

By Ayunne Collins

How Does An Online Job Fair Work?

by cjxpadmin | Dec 3, 2013 | December 2013 Magazine, This Issue's FEATURE

An online Job Fair is designed to assist employers and job applicants in locating the best match for both parties. This is all done strictly online. The purpose of the site is to connect employers and the best and most talented employees available.

Employers will post their available positions online with specifications for each job posted on various online job fair events. The job seeker can then browse through the available positions and select those for which they are most qualified.

Some programs entail doing pre-screening sessions with participants who have been deemed qualified for positions posted by participating employers. After the screening, participants are then referred to the appropriate employer by setting them up with an appointment date and time.

Interested participants should post their resume on the job event website for consideration of any posted positions.

What separates one person from another in the professional world?

Some would say experience, some would say education, and still others may say desire or drive. Whatever the difference, employers now have the ability to choose people who have been deemed the “best of the best.”

When using this new technique, employers are not selecting an unknown entity. Through the Workforce agencies, some candidates may attend classes which allow trainers to identify personalities, traits and experiences. With this knowledge, candidates are also assessed for employability traits, to include; integrity, substance abuse, reliability and work ethic. Assessments confirm what is being discovered in the classroom.

This Online Job Fair is beneficial because it allows applicants to apply for more jobs from many different locations without having to worry about transportation, child care and long lines plus not being able to connect with the employer. The Online Job Fair assures the applicant to make that connection with the employer every time.

An online Job Fair is designed to assist employers and job applicants in locating the best match for both parties. This is all done strictly online. The purpose of the site is to connect employers and the best and most talented employees available.

Employers will post their available positions online with specifications for each job posted on various online job fair events. The job seeker can then browse through the available positions and select those for which they are most qualified.

Some programs entail doing pre-screening sessions with participants who have been deemed qualified for positions posted by participating employers. After the screening, participants are then referred to the appropriate employer by setting them up with an appointment date and time.

Interested participants should post their resume on the job event website for consideration of any posted positions.

What separates one person from another in the professional world? Some would say experience, some would say education, and still others may say desire or drive. Whatever the difference, employers now have the ability to choose people who have been deemed the “best of the best.”

When using this new technique, employers are not selecting an unknown entity. Through the Workforce agencies, some candidates may attend classes which allow trainers to identify personalities, traits and experiences. With this knowledge, candidates are also assessed for employability traits, to include; integrity, substance abuse, reliability and work ethic. Assessments confirm what is being discovered in the classroom.

This Online Job Fair is beneficial because it allows applicants to apply for more jobs from many different locations without having to worry about transportation, child care and long lines plus not being able to connect with the employer. The Online Job Fair assures the applicant to make that connection with the employer every time.

The most important aspect for the employer is to be precise and specific about the job posting. Ensure that every last little detail is spelled out according to the type of potential employee they are seeking.

The most important aspect for the applicant is presentation — the resume.

Ensure that the resume is professionally written and produced to ensure that the employer takes notice. Other options along with a resume is the possibility of a video resume. This newest tool allows the job seeker to create a one-minute or less video of themselves talking about their specific education, background, experience and skills.

CampusJobXpress.com wants to assist employers by providing them with the “best of the best” employees as well as assist job seekers by providing them with the best jobs available.

Connect to campusjobxpress.com and register to receive various employment services to assist you in your job search.

By Melvin Collins, Jr. & Yolanda Salazar

Do You Have a Gift?

by cjxpadmin | Dec 3, 2013 | December 2013 Magazine, This Issue's FEATURE

Do you ever sit and wonder, “What am I good at?” “What do I have to offer?” or “How can I help others?”

All of us, at some point, question ourselves about what makes us important … what makes us special … and the answers lie within ourselves.  What is a gift, you may wonder, and do I have one?

Believe it or not, we all have a gift. A gift can be something you do very well and something that comes naturally to you. Most people call your talent a gift. “Such as what?” you say. Well, you could have a talent in singing, acting, riding horses, riding motorcycles, dancing, party planning, cooking, building, playing an instrument, it can be in the way you talk with people or how you listen …. The possibilities are endless.

We all have a hidden talent waiting to be explored. You are never too old or too young to discover your special gift or gifts. Once you start exploring yourself, you will realize how truly gifted you really are.

One young lady, Murphy Hunter, tells us herself that she grew up too fast. She made decisions that impacted her life tremendously. She dropped out of school and became a wife and mother of three at a young age. Murphy found herself shouldered with huge responsibilities, but used her children as her motivation.

Murphy knew by looking at her children that she had to be the one to change the cycle. She stated, “I knew I had to practice what I preached.” She states, “My children became my drive … my inspiration … my weapon to get me through every difficult obstacle.”  Murphy had to make some tough decisions and had to set goals for herself and her children.

She had to let go of personal aspirations which were her gifts and focus on what was going to allow her to take care of her family. Murphy states, “I didn’t grow up with goals of college or achieving a dream job … I didn’t even know what the American dream was all about.” What Murphy did know, was that she had three small children and was a single parent. Time was of the essence and she had to set realistic goals … she had no time to waste.

Murphy enrolled in a community college and completed her GED. She, then, enrolled in college for four years to become a surgical technician and earned several certificates in the process. Murphy was determined to become a success for herself and her children.

She established a solid foundation of support from friends and family who encouraged her and assisted her during her journey.  It’s very important to all of us when we are pursuing something greater, to have a solid foundation of people who will keep us motivated and who will keep us on track when times get hard.

Murphy has worked in the medical field for over 14 years and states, “It’s given me and my children a good life.” Her achievements have also served as an inspiration for her children to pursue success, regardless of the obstacles that may exist.

All of us have to keep pushing forward in achieving the goals that we set for ourselves. Don’t let obstacles stop you … find a way to push through … use your foundation of support and reach your goals. Sometimes, your hidden talents, your gifts are the means to success. You have to LOVE what you do. Otherwise, you settle for a long unsatisfactory work life. You bring in the money, but you don’t have the joy.

Murphy knew her gifts were in medicine but she also loved taking photographs.  She states, “I’ve loved photography since age 12 and considered it a hobby.”  In pursuing her means to provide for her family, she had focused on medicine but when she remarried, her husband encouraged her to pursue photography.

Of her husband, Murphy says, “My husband is a wonderful man who supports me and convinced me to pursue my hobby and become a professional photographer.”

She continued to work in medicine, but started to work on her profession as a photographer and her gift of taking photographs has been recognized by others.

Murphy has a gift behind the camera lens and captures the soul of those she photographs. Murphy says, “I want to represent an idea of a possibility … a possibility that I can create whatever I want to create. I can look at a person or an object and pull out what makes that person or object special. I don’t know how I do it, but when I look through my camera lens, I see nothing but possibilities. I’m an artist that uses the world as my canvas and I photograph what my eyes see.”

Murphy has shown us that while faced with obstacles in our lives, whether it’s limited education, responsibilities of being a single parent, having to face losing our job and having to start over … we can overcome those obstacles. In the process, we can explore what we are good at which often are what our special gifts are and pursue a new career that incorporates our “love” which are our gifts.

When we are pursuing and doing what we love, we find ourselves motivated to succeed. We need to live  our own life…  the way that we want to live it.  Who knows?  What you thought might just be fun or a hobby of sorts, could very well turn out to be your next career. Choose to be happy in our lives and in your work. Murphy Hunter certainly did.

Murphy stated, “If you’re not doing something that makes a difference in someone’s life … whether it be your own or someone else’s … you can feel you are wasting your time. Find out what drives you … find your inspiration … and make goals. Just do it … it’s that simple.”

Murphy Hunter’s D6Pix Productions offers all types of photography services to include weddings, bridal showers, graduations, birthdays, christenings, corporate events, proms and quinceaneras as well as personal and model sessions, both male and female. She offers contemporary, portraiture and traditional photos and can create packages in the form of albums, custom graphic design, digital files and more….

We, at CampusJobXpress, have used Murphy Hunter/D6Pix Productions on several occasions. As a matter of fact, our Novemer issue of our magazine is one of her designs. Take a look and be expecting more covers from Murphy Hunter/D6Pix Productions in the future.

Check out some of her photographs at www.facebook.com/pages/D6pix-Photography-by-Murphy-Hunter/620632147979996?ref=br_tf. She also has a Facebook magazine page at www.facebook.com/D6pixMagazine.  She can be contacted at MurphyHunterD6pix@yahoo.com or call her at 512-966-8995.

By Yolanda L. Salazar & Silvia Seelig