The Basics of Best Free Resume Builder 2017

The Basics of Best Free Resume Builder 2017 Pay attention when you subscribe, however, because most services provide a number of different plans and a few plans limit the qualities or number of resumes you are able to create. You will likewise be able to discover the options regarding your resume like printing, sending, or exporting. Dont have any fear, there are some options. There are different alternatives to think about when it has to do with putting together an online resume. Best Free Resume Builder 2017 for Dummies Your clientele and your potential employers will come to you with a wide variety of backgrounds and various needs. Hiring managers are busy people and youve got a limited time to draw their focus to your candidacy. Most offer completely free accessibility to job seekers on the lookout for new opportunities. My parents alive in a baby rural association that provides no agnate chances in the area. The Dos and Donts of Best Free Resume Builder 2017 A lot of people commit the error of leaving a great deal of white space in their resume. Its essential for you to realize that at the close of the day, its your resume. You may find a lot of great resume templates, but you are going to have to decide if theyre likely to help or hurt your odds of landing an interview. A good resume is a passport to an excellent job and Resume Builder makes it possible to create impressive resumes in an issue of a few momemts. Best Free Resume Builder 2017 Explained The URL may also be shared with potential employers. Resume building doesnt need to be as hard as it once was. Resume Companion is an extremely user-friendly site that provides a wide selection of tools which may help you compose an outstanding resume and send it to a prospective employer. Job boards and email alerts Job boards are an excellent tool to use whenever looking for open positions. The service also provides many example CVs, dependent on the business, so youre able to find some hints and ideas about how your CV should look, dependent on your career path. The site provides many distinctive formats of resumes to select from. You have a lot of alternatives for CVs that feature photos and theyre all skilled and well put-together. The Hidden Treasure of Best Free Resume Builder 2017 To save a whole lot of heartache down the road, ensure that you use our resume builder to create a document that may be easily transferred to several job applications. There are alternatives offered for free to aid you in finding your fantasy career. The tool provides a detailed guide to resume building which provides you total control over it and youll be able to manage it in whatever way you enjoy. Our advanced technology can help you build your resume from one of our exquisite templates in order to truly feel confident youre putting your very best foot forward as you step in the work industry. Best Free Resume Builder 2017 - Is it a Scam? The principal value of any resume is to bring the most essential info, which hiring manager would love to find the most. Name the work title and the area, and any concerns, and their resume builder reviews the info. Each industry has different formats tailored to the kind of work and training needed to progress. Whichever resume format you select, make certain to include examples of accomplishments that benefited your prior employers. Businesses that do offer a complimentary version of their software make it so limited dont have any choice except to subscribe to have a really good useable resume. Theres some software also available in the marketplace that can be employed to create an attractive resume for you. Furthermore, its very simple to add animation to any object, very similar to PowerPoint. When finished, it is simple to toggle between different templates to find out what looks best for the last item. Best Free Resume Builder 2017 Just sign up there, complete the details and your Resume is p repared to download. To begin, you have the choice to import your Word or LinkedIn resume. Resume Builder Free and simple to use. Free Resume Builder on-line Resume.com. The Upside to Best Free Resume Builder 2017 Canvas free plan is most likely all you will need for creating resumes. Simply you must sign up to begin creating your resume. Building a resume isnt a task it is possible to leave up to chance. The process of producing a resume is quite easy and straight-forward. The Free Resume Builder helps prepare resumes even when you dont possess the slightest idea on the best way to do so employing a seven step procedure. There are lots of hints, tutorials and sample Resume available to become perfect idea for making your Resume. A fundamental text editor at no cost, providing you a printable resume template. The website provides some helpful prewritten phrases youll be able to use if you become stumped attempting to produce your own. The Advantages of Best Free Resume Builder 2017 There are lots of professional resume template that can be found on the net from which you are able to make out some idea about how to construct a professional curriculum vitae using best resume builder websites. If you decide to click the links on our website, we might get compensation. GotResumeBuilder is a free and easy to use resume builder site. The website will inform you exactly how many views your resume has.

10 Hottest Media Jobs Companies Hiring Now!

10 Hottest Media Jobs Companies Hiring Now10 Hottest Media Jobs Companies Hiring Now From fake berichterstattung to the 24/7 news cycle, media is a hot topic these days. However, journalism as a profession has been in decline over the past 10 years. This got Glassdoors economic research analyst, Amanda Stansell , thinking What is the state of hiring in the news media today?In order to look at what are the most common jobs that these employers are hiring for today and what cities they are hiring in, Glassdoors economic research team looked at the most recent job listings data. Utilizing Glassdoors unique jobs and salary data, Stansell took a deeper dive into todays most in-demand media jobs and what these jobs pay. Stansell looked at a sample of 85 news media companies that includes digital-native, print-native, broadcast and radio news media employers.Surprisingly, the most in-demand role news media companies are hiring for today is account executive , a sales rol e, and not reporter or editor. This indicates the high demand for talent who are able to boost sales to enable these companies with the resources they need to continue reporting and producing the news, says Stansell.Here are the most in-demand news media jobs, what they pay on average and whos hiring. Journalism isnt dead journalism and news media have evolved. Apply to these jobs to make sure you stay ahead of the curve.Average Salary $53,000 Companies Hiring WarnerMedia, NBCUniversal, CNN, Turner Broadcasting, The New York Times, CBS nachrichten and more.Average Salary $42,000 Companies Hiring The Wall Street Journal, CBS News, NPR,Spectrum, Advance Local, Tronc, Industry Dive, Newsday, The Charlotte Observer, Chicago Public Media & more.Average Salary $40,000 Companies Hiring Spectrum, GAP, NerdWallet, Similar Broadcast Group, The San Francisco Chronicle, Bloomberg & more.Average Salary $37,300 Companies Hiring Amazon, Rodale, 21st Century Fox, Tribune Company, Outfront Med ia, Healthline Media & more.Average Salary $93,900 Companies Hiring CBS, Bloomberg, Dow Jones, Spectrum, NBC Universal, Hearst, Cox Communications & more.Average Salary $52,700 Companies Hiring Epic Games, Time Warner, NewsMax Media, Entravision, Newsday, Spectrum, NerdWallet, The San Francisco Chronicle, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Ingenuity Studios, NPR & more.Average Salary $44,600 Companies Hiring SmartBug Media, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Bloomberg BNA, Fox Sports, CBS Corporation & more.Average Salary $80,100 Companies Hiring Cox Communications, Amazon, Time Warner, iHeart Media, Comcast, Hearst Television, Meredith, Spectrum, Cumulus Media, Taboola, Salem Media Grou & more.Average Salary $34,700 Companies Hiring HBO, WarnerMedia, NPR, Skillz Inc., ESPN, Nexstar Media Group, MGM Television, World Wrestling Entertainment, Vitamin T, Hearst Newspapers & more.Average Salary $63,300 Companies Hiring Trounce, Orion Worldwide, Google, Taboola, 21st Century Fox, Atlantic Media, A +E Networks, Amazon, Hearst Magazine, Paramount Pictures, Spectrum & more.

Finding a Part-Time Sales Job

Finding a Part-Time Sales JobFinding a Part-Time Sales JobWhether you are looking for a parte-time sale sttte because you need a second (or third) income source, want to give abverkauf a try and dont want to commit to a full-time position or have decided that working more than one job is more your style, finding good paying part-time sales positions can be challenging. Many employers who hire sales professionals prefer that their reps work full-time at driving revenue for their companies and are reluctant to consider part-time sales reps. Fortunately, there are some places you can look for part-time work. The Retail Industry The retail industry is the most obvious industry to look into when looking for part-time sales work. In fact, the majority of those working in sales positions in a retail shop are not full-time employees. While the retail industry certainly has plenty of part time opportunities, you will likely encounter some challenges. Most retail sales positions are low pa ying ones.Entry level positions usually require weekend and evening hoursVery few offer benefitsMay not earn commission but only a base salary Despite these (and other) drawbacks, looking for a part-time sales position in the retail industry usually, produces positive results for those willing to deal with the challenges and still produce positive results. 1099 Positions Unlike a typical employee positions, 1099 positions generally offer incredible flexibility. In other words, if you have a 1099 position, you work when you want to work. The downside is that very few 1099 positions offer a salary and those who work under a 1099 agreement work completely on a commission basis. 1099 positions are often filled by Independent sales professionals, looking to either augment their incomes, find another source of income to replace their full-time positions income or by those simply following a passion for a specific product or service. Expect to find several companies, many of which will be start-up companies, with 1099 sales position openings. Inside Sales The Inside Sales industry is an exciting industry that has experiencedrapid growth and change during the 2000s. This growth is partly due to the lower cost involved in employing inside reps when compared to outside sales reps and advances in technology. Inside sales is a tough position often filled with more than a fair share of rejection. Several employers hire part-time inside sales reps to weed out those who cant cut a full-time position as well as to guard against the burn out that dialing for dollars often creates. Auto Sales While the majority of those in the auto sales industry are full-time employees, many smaller dealerships or used car dealers employee part-time sales reps. The benefits for a dealer to hire part-time include Save money by not paying benefitsArrange scheduling to have sales reps working during busy hours and not having to pay full-time employees during typically slow times.Can u se part-time positions as proving grounds for full-time consideration One of the biggest challenges with working part-time selling cars is experienced when working in a dealership that also employees several full-time sales reps. In auto dealerships, reps usually take turns working with customers who walk through their doors. Imagine being a full-time employee putting in a 10 hour day and have a part-time sales rep close a profit-rich sale simply because the part-time rep was next in line. Your Current Employer If you currently hold a full-time sales position and want to cut your hours back, you may want to consider asking your manager about going part-time. While this may bring some negative exposure to yourself if your employer doesnt offer part-time work, you may be able to build a strong enough case why your employer should consider allowing you to work part-time. Some benefits that your employer would realize by allowing a full-timer to become a part-timer include Full-time employees are already well trainedFull-time employees, in general, have already proven themselves to be good employees.Employers can save money by allowing you to work part-time as part-time positions seldom include benefitsEmployers want to keep good employees. And if your employer knows that you want to go part-time, they may see enough value in keeping you, even if for fewer hours per week, than losing you to another part-time position.

Most People Are Looking for Jobs the Wrong Way. Heather Hund Wants to Fix That

Most People Are Looking for Jobs the Wrong Way. Heather Hund Wants to Fix That Most People Are Looking for Jobs the Wrong Way. Heather Hund Wants to Fix That Write a resume. Send it to a couple dozen different companies. Receive zero responses. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. One of the most common frustrations job seekers have is sending out tons of applications, only to hear nothing back in return. And as a result, many of them view the job search as near-impossible. But the truth is, finding a great job isn’t as hard as most people think it is - or at least, it doesn’t have to be. That’s the central theme behind Heather Hund’s new book, Art of the Job Search . Hund believes that finding a job isn’t so much about what you do - it’s about how you do it. And as long as you pay attention to the details, you can find a job you love in record time. We reached out to Hund to learn more about her best job search tips, why finding a job you love is an investment in your career and how job seekers have more power than they might think - here’s what she had to say. Heather Hund: I left my job and didn’t have another one, and realized that I really wanted to find a job that I loved, but also that I had no idea how to do it. So, my first step in the job search was actually interviewing people about how they found a job that they loved. Then, I used that information at each step of the process, and ended up getting several offers and, even more importantly, finding a job that I really loved, and it changed my life. And I thought that was information that needed to be out into the world. Heather Hund: When I began looking for a new job after I left my old one, I dropped my resume online for all sorts of things - some looked interesting, and some didn’t. And after a few weeks of that, I realized that wasn’t actually moving me in the right direction. So I then took a giant step back and took a self-assessment, similar to the one included in the book, to figure out “What do I actually want to do? What are my strengths? How do I want to apply those?” Then I applied that same bit of strategy throughout the search, from writing my resume to applying to interviewing to negotiating . So I think being strategic is what makes the difference between ending up at a job, and finding a job that you really love. Heather Hund: As humans, we’re wired to avoid rejection . I think it’s biological, and probably helped keep us alive at some point. But I also think that today, it doesn’t help us much, and it prevents us from going for the things we really want. So it’s about flipping the dialogue - instead of thinking, “Do they want me?” Ask yourself, “Do you actually want to work there?” Do you like the culture, do you feel good about the role, do you like the people that are interviewing you? Remember, you’re interviewing them. While it’s important to answer the person’s questions, when you take control and start asking more questions, it can actually make you a more attractive candidate. It shows that you can problem solve, and that you’re thinking about things from a higher level - from an ownership perspective - which I think is super powerful. Yes, they have the job that they can offer you, but you have the skills, the ability, the talent to offer them. You’re a giant asset as well. People often undervalue themselves, and don’t realize how valuable they are. Heather Hund: Absolutely. I think the most powerful thing to do in that situation is to ask questions that you would ask if you were already in the role, like “What are the priorities right now, and what will they be in a year?” Heather Hund: It’s so true - people often see loving your job as an indulgence, like “You shouldn’t love your work, it’s work!” But think about it: When you were doing something that you loved, either at work or as a hobby, were you better at it? I would guess yes. When I was writing this book, I definitely found that research backed this up. People who love their job get more raises, they get promoted more, they have better relationships with their managers, and they’re just happier, which is a huge, huge benefit. I think loving your job really is an investment in your career. Heather Hund: The growth mindset is so powerful. If I could recommend one other book, it would be Carol Dweck’s Mindset . Basically, she argues that with a growth mindset, there’s no such thing as failure - everything becomes learning. It enables you to take more risks and to go after the things you really want, even when you’re afraid, and I think this includes finding a job you really love. People don’t really acknowledge how hard job searching is emotionally, and that’s why I decided to devote an entire chapter to talking about how to get into that growth mindset before you start job searching. It’s funny - I know it doesn’t have to do with the tactics of job searching, but I actually think this chapter might be the most important one in the book. Heather Hund: Like many other people (and often women in particular), at my first job I thought “If I just put my head down and work super hard, I’ll get noticed.” But what I started noticing was that the people who got the coolest projects and the special opportunities and the fast promotions were often the ones that had relationships with the people who were making the decisions. That was a hard thing to notice, because the truth is I hate networking. Most people kind of balk when they hear ‘networking’. No one wants to network, and I think it has a bad reputation - people just think of awkward conversation. For me, it took a reframe of what networking is. Really, it’s just talking to people. And what I realized over the course of my career was that I don’t like “networking”, but I love talking to people and getting to know them. Building those relationships is why networking is often more important than the work itself. To be clear, it is actually important to be good at your job, but it’s also really important to build strong relationships so that you get to know when cool things are happening that you might be excited about, or that you could contribute toward. Networking can lead to not only opportunities, but also long-term mentors and friendships. And it can often last beyond just one job, which is pretty awesome. Heather Hund: I like to start with small talk for two reasons: one, I think it helps you build the relationship, and two, I think talking about your weekend or your family or your hobbies just takes the pressure off of the conversation. Don’t go into it with an outcome-based mindset - just have a conversation. I find it quite helpful to write out questions (there are a few that I include in the book), not so much to bring with me, but just to get me thinking, “What are the things that I want to cover in this conversation?” The biggest hurdle honestly is just doing it. In my first real networking conversation, I was waiting for the elevator after work and my colleague was just standing there, and we struck up a random conversation. After a while I said, “Hey, do you want to grab coffee?” And he said “Sure.” And I remember thinking, “Ah, that’s so easy! You just ask somebody if they want to grab coffee.” Heather Hund: One of the things that stuck with me from business school was when a friend told me, “Whenever I start a new job, I make sure to be incredible for the first six months.” I’d never thought about it before, but he was totally right. First impressions are very real, and very lasting. A lot of people go into a new job thinking, “I need to figure out exactly what my boss wants me to do, and I need to do those things.” But what people don’t realize is that often, their boss doesn’t know what they want. They’re super busy, and they really just need somebody to take something and run with it. So it’s more about how you frame yourself as someone who can be a problem-solver and a real thought partner - that’s what sets apart the amazing people from the good people. Another huge thing is feedback . Some companies are great about having feedback structures in place, and then some aren’t. If feedback is not a regular thing at your company, take initiative and lead a feedback discussion with your boss. Feedback, when done in the right way, builds much stronger relationships, helps you develop and improve faster and can take you further in your career. Then the last thing I talk about in the book is promotions. Marissa Mayer once said, “I got every single one of [my promotions] by asking and getting feedback and planning for it.” You need to start thinking about your new career path - you don’t necessarily need to have an answer, but think of where you want to go and what you need to do to get there before you even want to make that transition.

ISTP - Learn About This Myers Briggs Personality Type

ISTP - Learn About This Myers Briggs Personality Type ISTP - Learn About This Myers Briggs Personality Type If you went to a career counselor who administered the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), you may have learned that your personality type is ISTP. You are probably wondering what these four letters can tell you about your career and what you should do with it. This article will clear up all your confusion. ISTP is one of 16 personality types Carl Jung, a psychiatrist identified many years ago. The MBTI is based on his theory. Jung believed that personality types are made up of four pairs of opposite preferences for how we do certain things. We energize through introversion (I) or extroversion (E), perceive information by sensing (S) or intuition (N), make decisions by thinking (T) or feeling (F) and live our lives by judging (J) or perceiving (P). Each of us favors one member of each pair of preferences over the other one. That doesnt mean Your code is ISTP because the results of the MBTI indicated that your preferences are Introversion, Sensing, Thinking and Judging. Career development professionals  believe the code can be used to help people make career-related decisions such as choosing a career and accepting a job offer.  Thats the Jungian theory in a nutshell and how it applies to your career choice. Now lets examine your code more closely. Well look at what each preference means and then explore how you can use this information to make career-related decisions. I, S, T and P: What Each Letter of Your Personality Type Code Means I:  When you hear the word introversion, like most people, you may think shy or unable to be around others. Theres actually so much more to it than that. As someone who prefers Introversion, you are energized by things within yourself. It doesnt mean you dont like being around other people, just that you prefer to spend time alone. Therefore, you dont need friends or coworkers to motivate you.S:  As an individual who favors sensing, you use your five senses help you decode information that comes your way. You see details rather than the patterns that might emerge from them. You dont tend to forecast what the future may hold but live fully in the present. T: Your preference for thinking means you take a lot of time to make decisions. It is not because you are indecisive, but instead that you carefully consider all your options. You use logic, not emotion. You dont mind critiquing people.P: As someone who is perceiving, you are flexible and spontaneous. It means you can easily adapt  to change. On the downside, however, you dont do very well with deadlines. It is important to keep in mind that these are only your preferences. That means that while you prefer to do things a certain way, you can adapt and use the opposite preference when you need to. Also remember that each preference in your four-preference type affects the other three. Finally, your preferences are dynamic in that they can change throughout your life. How to Use Your Code to Help You With Career-Related Decisions You can consider your personality type when you are choosing a career or deciding whether to accept a job offer based on the environment in which you will have to work. When making a career choice, you should look at the two middle letters in your code, S, and T. Because you prefer sensing and thinking, you should look for occupations in which you can solve concrete problems. You also want to work in a career that values the importance of careful and deliberate decision making. Take into account, as well,  your  interests,  aptitudes  and  work-related values  when choosing a career.These are some options for you to think about: Airline Pilot Dental Hygienist Athletic Coach EMT and Paramedic Biomedical Engineer Engineering Technician Brick Mason Geoscientist Camera Operator Intelligence Agent Carpenter Paralegal Civil Engineer Photographer Computer Programmer Radiologic Technologist Computer Systems Analyst Software Developer Your preferences of introversion and perceiving can guide you when  deciding whether a work environment will be right for you. As someone who prefers introversion, you would enjoy making your own decisions about how to complete projects. Since deadlines arent your thing, consider a job that allows you to work at your own pace. Sources: The Myers-Briggs Foundation Web Site.Baron, Renee.  (1998)  What Type Am I?. NY: Penguin  Books.Page, Earle C.  Looking at Type: A Description of the Preferences Reported by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Center for Applications of Psychological Type.Tieger, Paul D., Barron, Barbara, and Tieger, Kelly. (2014)  Do What You Are. NY: Hatchette Book Group.

How to Create a Maternity Leave Out-of-Office Message

How to Create a Maternity Leave Out-of-Office Message How to Create a Maternity Leave Out-of-Office Message Creating the right out-of-office reply is important, especially when out on maternity leave. The message  creates a personal boundary  that alerts the sender that you will be unavailable during your leave and informs them about who they can contact during your absence. Setting this up early can allow you to craft a purposeful note. This way, you will feel confident in your message, and your co-workers and clients will feel cared for. Heres an explanation to help you understand the importance of your message and why you should schedule time to work on it. It Sets Expectations for Everyone   The maternity leave you take after your baby is born is private and very  special. The moments with your newborn can never be recaptured. Therefore, its important to protect this period in your life. You know how it feels to get a work email while on vacation, right? You feel compelled to send a quick reply. But while on leave, you dont really have time for that. Also, the quick reply can balloon into a bigger issue to address. You are welcoming a new member into your family.  This time of bonding will be filled with sleepless nights, an unpredictable schedule, recuperation, doctor appointments, visitors, and much more.  Also, there will be a good amount of change that youll want to manage. Writing emails under these conditions will not produce your best work.   Your out of office message will protect you from work  interruptions as well as poorly thought out emails.   Setting boundaries  is important during this time. To help put your work life on hold, establish that your newborn and everything that comes with the bundle of joy is the top priority.  When you create the right out-of-office message,  people will understand what your current priority is and will respect the boundary it sets. So how do you create an awesome message to help protect such a special time? Give Your Out-of-Office Message Some Thought When around 26 weeks pregnant, start working on the out-of-office message.  If given the option to save a title for this,  title it Maternity Leave - Out of Office.   Preparing the message ahead of time gives you more control over what your message will say. You are the one who knows how to do your job, who will be taking over your responsibilities, and when you may be back to the office. Decide if you want to include a specific return-to-work date or week, or consider not mentioning a date if youre unsure. If you dont list a specific person the sender can contact, decide if you want to provide your managers email and/or phone number. Creating the message early saves you, your employer, and your contacts time. You may need to leave the office unexpectedly (to deliver your baby); as a result, having a prepared message gives your IT admin or your manager a message to use.  Do you want IT or your manager setting the tone of this message? Heck no! Furthermore, the message created by your employer may not reflect the language or message you want to convey to your contacts. It can also cause confusion or misunderstandings with clients, especially when out for an extended period of time. Inform your manager when your message is complete. Theyll love to hear that youre prepared for your exit, and theres one less thing  theyll need to do to support you. Things to Include in Your Message Below is a sample out-of-office message you can use.  Once you enable the message in your email software, it will automatically respond to  any emails sent to you during a specified time. It is up to you if youd like to inform  recipients  where you are. You could simply say you are out of the office, or  you can announce that you are on your maternity leave. You can use a variant of this email message for extended vacations or business trips, as well. Where you see (parentheses), insert the appropriate words or phrases for your circumstances. Maternity Leave Out-of-Office Sample Email Message (Text Version) Thank you for your email. I am out of the office on maternity leave until (date you expect to return).If you need immediate assistance please contact (name of colleague covering for you, with contact details, your managers email, or a phone number).(If you have certain projects you cover list the project name and the person covering you).If your matter is not urgent Ill reply to your email upon my return.Kind regards,(Your name) Expand

Identifying Your Job Interview Strengths and Weaknesses

Identifying Your Job Interview Strengths and Weaknesses Identifying Your Job Interview Strengths and Weaknesses One of the favorite questions of interviewers across industries and job positions is asking candidates to name their personal and professional strengths and weaknesses.  An applicant’s ability to identify their areas of excellence and improvable traits demonstrates critical thinking skills, higher level analytical ability and on the spot conversational know how.   While these are all positives from the interviewer’s perspective, being on the firing line of these types of queries can be a curveball to even the most seasoned of job searchers.  Most people dislike talking about themselves in even social scenarios, much less with a career opportunity on the line.  For a prepared interviewee, however, there’s no need to fear which is why we’ve compiled some simple exercises, questions and prompts to help you tackle this pivotal portion of the interview with ease. Take a Personal Inventory The first step in preparing for your job interview involves an exercise in self-analysis.  Grab yourself paper and pencil or a handy, high-tech device, and compile a simple list of strengths and weaknesses.  At this point, you won’t be looking for traits with a specific career or employment bent, only the areas in which you believe you excel or need improvement. If you find yourself at ease in crowds, add “sociable” or “great conversationalist” to the pros list.  If you’re often distracted when you set on a specific task, throw “focus” on the con side.  In addition to personality traits, list skills that you’ve acquired through your education or prior experiences such as advanced certifications, knowledge about specific programs or systems and more. During this list-making exercise, it’s important to be as honest as possible.  It’s not like you’ll be sharing this list with your mom, after all.  A frank analysis is an important first step and withholding less than desirable traits because of personal embarrassment only lessens the effectiveness of your interview prep. Let’s Talk About Those Strengths While talking about your positive traits may seem like a walk in the park when done in a crowded bar with your latest Tinder date, pitching your attractive qualities to a prospective employer is another monster altogether.  There’s a fine line between confidence and boastfulness and crossing that invisible mark can mean the difference between a job offer and a career version of a dear john letter. Analyze your list of strengths and compare with the listing for the job you’ll be interviewing for.  Choose several traits, some obvious and others more nuanced, that you believe help make you an excellent fit for the company and position.  It may also be helpful to peruse the company’s website for a list of their institutional values or history to find other areas where your skill set may be applicable.   When crafting your list of strengths that you’ll be offering up during the interview, think about ways to word your answers that come across as humble but confident.  Know your strengths but don’t pitch yourself as the best candidate that ever lived.  This approach may not only hurt your job chances, it can also set unreasonable expectations for when you do end up landing the gig. We All Have Our Weaknesses Next, you’ll want to tackle that list of weaknesses, because no one can come up roses all the time whether in life or in their careers.  The ability to spot areas where you may need improvement is a valuable trait to a prospective employer as it indicates that you have an open mind and the ability for personal and professional growth.  Most employers are looking for employees that will stick with the company long-term and these skills are critical to identifying the best candidates for the job. While it’s easy enough to point out negative traits and communicate them in simple terms, the best candidates have the ability to turn frowns upside down when it comes to their personal and professional weaknesses.  Identify traits that while seemingly negative, have the potential to be upsides when harnessed or developed fully.  Tenacity can be a negative when it means you focus on one task past its usefulness but can also be a positive when looking for innovative solutions for tough problems.   When the interviewer asks for your weakest traits, pick out these grey area characteristics.  Be sure to mention how their negatives can often be frustrating but how you’re working on pulling back or harnessing these skills to improve or become more accomplished in your career path. Overall, when answering questions about your strengths and weaknesses, keep in mind that your new employer is more interested in your skills and accomplishments that may make you a good employee and less about traits that have you leaving your bed unmade or make you an excellent gardener.  Be honest with your self-analysis, do plenty of prep work for the actual interview and you’ll be acing these tricky questions and that much closer to landing an offer for the job of your dreams.