Sunday, June 22, 2008

Good University Guide

Find a Job - Good University Guide

Graduate Jobs

For budding graduates The Times has published a Good University Guide for 2009 for Buiness Studies, compiled by a section of the University of Exeter, if you are looking for graduate jobs, then certainly going to university would seem to be sensible first step, so why not go to the best ?!. I'm a bit sceptical about such guides myself as you often get different opinions regarding what is a good university. The Times have Cambridge first, Oxford second, LSE third, Bath fourth, and Warwick fifth.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Interview Questions and Answers

Find a Job - Interview Questions and Answers !

Trying to find a job ? Employers love asking annoying interview questions, such as "Why do you want this job?" (Tip : Saying "I need the money" is rarely a good tactic. Honesty is highly over-rated and best left to the experts]. Take control of the interview game and employers will offer you the position. See how to turn the tables and win interviewers over.

These people say it works ! I don't know if they are right or not as I am unemployable and have always succeeded in getting up interviewers' noses and have only ever been offered one proper job, and that was one I didn't want ! Who says God doesn't have a sense of humour ? So check out how to deal with interviews for yourself - it's way too long to re-post here : EuroFileIt

Are You Earning Enough?

Find a Job - Job Opportunities that Pay Well

UPDATE : The US government has published information on average wages - to see which are the best paying jobs in America see - Top Ten Best Paying Jobs

Apparently this is a great time to be graduating from college/university. As Baby Boomers retire employers are looking for new talent. The number of managers expecting to hire new graduates this year has risen to 79% compared to 70% last year. A survey carried out by CareerBuilder shows starting pay is up too, with 42% of hiring managers aiming at increasing salaries compared with last year.

Pay Scales in the USA

According to the same survey entry-level pay in the US is :-

  • $30,000 - $40,000 for 35% of companies, up from 28% last year;
  • 16% will pay $40,000 - $50,000 (10% last year);
  • and 12% expect to pay $50,000 or higher ( 7% last year).

Employers will however take a close look at your grades. About one-third of hiring managers in the CareerBuilder poll want to see a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and 10% insist on 3.5 or better. There is also a lot of competition, with employers reporting receiving an average of 73 applications for each entry-level job.

An excellent place to go for information if you want to find a job in the US is Anna Ivey's website, it is full of useful advice, she also has a blog (and she looks hot too!). Her mission as she says herself is to “help you – college students and recent graduates – figure out what the heck to do with yourselves.” According to Anna, Gen Y job-seekers make 5 basic mistakes. Here they are briefly, for the full details see the link below.

1. Parents are too involved
“keep your parents' advice entirely behind the scenes; recruiters shouldn't experience any direct involvement by your parents.”

2. MySpace mistakes
Beware of what you post on MySpace, recruiters can, and do, check out profiles. Google your own name to see what comes up.

3. Failing to network
“Let your network know that you're looking for a job, … and make sure to follow through on any leads.” [Personally I have mixed feelings about this advice. My son was looking for a job recently and "our network" was of little use and in some case slightly embarrassing, as people felt obliged to do something although they clearly had no desire to do so, and as such it turned out to be a waste of time. Fortunately he managed to find a job under his own steam. I guess it all depends on how well-connected or well-intentioned your "network" is. But WTFDIK!]

4. A simple "thank you"
“A short email expressing your gratitude and promising to stay in touch is all you need. … being polite is just one more way to stand out from the crowd.”

5. Bad voicemail greetings
Keep it professional and don’t answer the phone if it isn’t appropriate to do so.

Home : Jobs

Monday, June 16, 2008

What are Psychometric Tests?

Find a Job - What are Psychometric Tests?


Psychometric tests are being used more and more by employers in the job application process. The aim of psychometric testing is to test your ability or your personality and your behavior to discover what motivates you and therefore whether you are suitable for the employer in question.

As employers normally have a lot of applications for any given position, psychometric tests are used to eliminate candidates quickly, without wasting too much time for the employer.

There are 3 main areas that are tested : ability, personality and interest.