BCjobs Blog

A recent discussion amongst career professionals proves that the obvious is not obvious to all and that common sense is not entirely common! When you read the following interview “no-no” stories, you’ll see what I mean. Should be obvious: sex has no place in the interview Unless you’re applying to write steamy romances or to […]

Job seekers don’t have much time to win over hiring managers, a new Accountemps survey suggests. More than half (52 per cent) of human resources (HR) managers polled said they form a positive or negative opinion of candidates during interviews in 10 minutes or less. For some, impressions are made even quicker. Nearly three in […]

An effective self-marketing twosome — cover letter and resume—will undoubtedly land more interviews. To substantiate the image you’ve created for yourself, and to land that coveted job offer, you must keep the momentum going and ace the interview too. Before you begin answering questions, you have to make a great first impression. Behaviour, grooming, appearance […]

You’re sitting in the interview room. You’re dressed well, even on a budget. You researched the company and practised answering interview questions honestly and with confidence. Now the interviewer asks you if you have any question, and your mind goes blank. The only one you can think of is the salary question, and you’re worried it will make your interest in the job shallow and one-dimensional. Here are the questions you should be asking, and why.

A telephone interview is usually short, just enough time to rule you in or out, so the focus is on questions that help evaluate you quickly. Your goal is to turn it into a face-to-face meeting, so your answers need to be concise. As a rule of thumb, keep your answers to less than two minutes, if an interviewer wants to know more s/he will ask.

Okay, I promise the next job interview you go to will most definitely NOT be like that! But we all know job interviews are nerve racking and the best way to minimize those nervous symptoms of sweaty palms, dry mouth, and of course, the worst of all – going blank, is to prepare as much as possible. Part of the preparation includes going over possible interview questions the interviewers may ask you, writing out responses, not memorizing them, but practicing, and if possible, even doing a mock interview. It’s also important to keep in mind that knowing what questions should not be asked in an interview is just important as knowing what questions may be asked. At times job seekers aren’t aware of the fact that there are inappropriate and illegal questions. Therefore it is important to know what these types of questions are and how to respond to these questions in a manner that wouldn’t hinder your chances of getting the job.

In a recent article, career expert Brenda Blackburn espouses the benefits of Informational Interviews, but how does one get started? Below are some tips Brenda offers to dive into the informational interview and take that next important step in your career.

Although applying for entry-level jobs online through email or company websites is becoming more common, many employers still allow you to apply in person. This may include such businesses as retail stores, restaurants, movie theatres, and gas stations. If you do apply in person, consider the following list of DOs and DON’Ts.