8 Job Interview Mistakes To AvoidWritten by Nathan Newberger
This http://www.WorkTree.com career article gives you some sraightforward advice to pass any job interview.The interview is a critical part of job search process and also one where most job seekers have trouble. There is plenty of advice around on how to navigate thru an interview successfully. This article has put together some simple, but crucial items that job seekers should definitely plan on NOT doing! =================================================== JOB INTERVIEWING - 8 MISTAKES YOU MUST AVOID! =================================================== 1. - DON'T SHOW UP LATE. There is no easier way to lose points with a prospective employer than to show up late. First impressions do last. And unfortunately, showing up late screams things like “I am unreliable” or “your time is not important to me”. Is this what you want a prospective employer to think before you even have a chance to utter a word? Make it a point to try to be early to every interview. That way, bad weather, traffic and that last minute phone call stand less chance of ruining your entrance. If unforeseen 18-wheeler does happen to dump 10 tons of tomatoes across interstate, upon arrival, apologize first thing, offer a quickexplanation and move on. (Ideally you would have called from your cell phone as soon as you caught sight of delay.) 2. - DON'T ACT DISINTERESTED. No matter what circumstance never act disinterested during an interview. If 10 minutes into meeting you become certain that nothing on planet could convince you to take a job with company continue to pay attention and act like you care about conversation. Remember that interviewer does not exist in a vacuum. He or she has friends, relatives, and associates who may influence future job opportunities. If you behave poorly, interviewer will remember and will share story of you and your unprofessional behavior with others. Haven’t you shared bad job search experiences with people close to you? The interviewer is probably no different. 3. - DON'T BE UNPREPARED. Being prepared has many facets. Interviewers expect you to know something about company and position you are seeking. Having this knowledge makes you appear both motivated and truly interested. So make sure you do your research! Excellent sources of information include, Internet, periodicals and people already in field. Another facet of being prepared is being ready for types of questions that may be asked. There are numerous articles on web and in bookstores with practice interview questions and answers. Make sure to utilize all such resources available to you. And finally, don’t forget to have extra copies of your resume and references on hand should they be requested. 4. - DON'T FORGET YOUR MANNERS. No matter how old fashioned it appears to use word like “please”, “sir”, “ma’am” and “thank you”, do not delete these words from your vocabulary. These simple words can work wonders towards making a positive impression. Always use a respectful tone of voice. Do not unnecessarily interrupt interviewer. Maintain eye contact and a pleasant expression. Leave slang, slouching and gum chewing at home. Good manners signals respect for yourself and people around you; never underestimate their importance.
| | What is Mystery Shopping and Can You Really Get Paid to Shop?Written by Cathy Stucker
Mystery shoppers visit businesses “disguised as normal customers,” and do things other customers do—ask questions, make a purchase, make a return—but with a twist. These undercover customers are there to evaluate businesses and their employees. After a visit, mystery shopper completes a report or questionnaire detailing what occurred.Why Do Businesses Hire Mystery Shoppers? In general, shops are done to find out about level of service provided to customers. However, mystery shoppers may also be asked to verify that employees are neatly groomed and in uniform, business is clean and merchandise is displayed neatly, staff persons are knowledgeable, etc. As a mystery shopper, you may be asked to verify if employees used a certain phrase (such as, “Thank you for shopping at Mega Mart.”) or if they used suggestive selling techniques (“Would you like fries with that?”). You may even be asked to shop a client's competitor, so client can compare their operations to others’. Mystery shoppers may monitor pricing, or verify that business is in compliance with professional standards or government regulations. One common misconception about mystery shoppers is that they are just looking for what is wrong. In fact, a mystery shopper is there to provide an objective view of business, and they report on good as well as not-so-good. Mystery shoppers seek answers to questions. Were you greeted when you entered store? Were shelves properly stocked? Was store clean? Did rest rooms have soap and tissue? How long did it take to be served? Did salesperson tell you about available service contract? Did cashier properly count out your change? Afterward, they fill out a form or write a report describing what they observed. Mystery shopping is not opinion research. Shoppers are not paid to give their opinions, they are paid to report their observations. When evaluating businesses, mystery shoppers are eyes and ears of business owner. Shoppers tell them how customers see business. Most businesses have service standards and rules for safety and security. Mystery shoppers tell business owner whether his employees are living up to standards and following rules. Businesses use information from shopper reports to reward good employees, identify training deficiencies, make stores safer for employees and customers, and much more. Companies may base performance evaluations and bonus pay outs at least in part on results of mystery shops.
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