washingtonpost.com -

Five Blunders That Weaken Your Bargaining Power

Steve Stromp — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

If youve managed your job search effectively throughout and successfully interviewed, why not apply the same winning format to the final step of the process: negotiating the job offer?

Five Blunders That Weaken Your Bargaining Power

Steve Stromp — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

If youve managed your job search effectively throughout and successfully interviewed, why not apply the same winning format to the final step of the process: negotiating the job offer? Youve worked too hard getting to the bargaining table to commit a gaffe and trash your fine efforts at the crowning moment.

Eliminate Surprises in Interviews - Know the Agenda

Steve Stromp — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

Coaches instruct players: If you dont do it in practice, dont expect to do it in the game. You play as you practice. The same advice applies to candidates approaching a job interview: The more you prepare, the better you likely will perform. Abraham Lincoln nailed it perfectly when he offered: If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six sharpening my axe.

Six Letters that Seal the Deal on Career Opportunity

Steve Stromp — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

The resume may be considered the signature tool in a job search, but strategically written letters could prove the salvo that ultimately nails the opportunity -- the straw that stirs the drink.

Keys to Unlock the Code for Government-to-Industry Transitions

Steve Stromp — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

As government downsizes and privatizes, military and civilian personnel continue to explore transitioning opportunities into private industry and accordingly experience frustrations on where they best fit and how they should navigate the move.

Results-Based Examples Increase Voltage in a Job Interview

Steve Stromp — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

In a job interview, anecdotal accounts can add high voltage to the information you convey to the employer as Emeril would profess, kick it up a notch. When discussing a particular skill or experience in a specific work situation with a hiring manager, you have the option of just mentioning your strength in this area or preferably illustrating it with an example.

For Want of Strategic Imperatives, The Career Was Lost

Steve Stromp — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

Careers fizzle because they are not planned from the very beginning. For many people, careers simply happen with resulting success or failure due to fate and circumstance. But eventually, looking back at time misspent, we wonder what might have happened had we acted differently.

Financial Tips for the Young

Anitha Reddy — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

From taxes to car payments, the guide hits items that tend to sink a twentysomthing's bank.

Interview Savvy, Interview Sins

Caryl and Ronald L. Krannich Ph.D — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

DO research the company, the department, and when possible, the interviewer DO prepare strategies for answering questions you expect to be asked DO formulate questions you wish to ask the interviewer DO cite evidence of past accomplishments and keep focused on what you can do for the company DO be enthusiastic

Salary Negotiation Do's and Don'ts

Ronald L. Krannich Ph.D. — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

Develop the proper frame of mind.

Are you a Salary Savvy Job Seeker?

Caryl and Ronald L. Krannich Ph.D. — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

Dealing with the salary question is often the most difficult interview question facing job seekers. Feeling apprehensive talking about money, many individuals accept the employer's first offer. In addition, many interviewees fail to discuss benefits which often comprise 45% of their total compensation! It's only later, once on the job, that they learn they may be under-compensated or they are receiving fewer benefits than they expected. Indeed, many people are under-compensated by 10-20% because they fail to speak up and negotiate their salary and benefits in a positive manner.

30 Salary Negotiation Mistakes to Avoid!

Caryl and Ronald L. Krannich Ph.D. — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

If you're planning to negotiate a salary or ask for a salary raise, make sure you don't make any of these 30 mistakes:

Top 10 Do's and Don'ts of Net Surfing for a Job

Ronald L. Krannich Ph.D. — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

Those entering the culture of the Internet should familiarize themselves with online etiquette, also known as "netiquette". If you are a job seeker attempting to do online networking for information, advice, and referrals, you will especially need to observe netiquette. These conventions are not clearly defined; time provides the best examples for Internet users to follow. Netiquette includes the proper use of capitalization, proper methods of marketing (as opposed to bulk emailing, or "spamming"), and ensuring that messages pertain to the current discussion. Users who intend to employ the Internet as an employment tool must acquaint themselves with this knowledge quickly. Without this information, they will encounter little respect or tolerance from veteran users. If you are attempting to show prospective employers your technology savvy, you need to learn how to act appropriately. Make sure you follow these top 10 "do's" and "don'ts" when net surfing for a job:

12 Rules of Networking

Bernard Haldane Associates — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

Networking opportunities are everywhere for job seekers. To capitalize on these opportunities, the following networking tips should assist you in your job search:

Questions You Should Ask at a Referral Interview

Ronald L. Krannich Ph.D. — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

Often overlooked by job seekers, referral interviews can be the most effective interviews in your job search. These interviews have five goals:

Do You Talk Too Much in Interviews?

Ronald L. Krannich Ph.D. — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

Interviewers often eliminate a candidate from consideration because he or she "talked too much" during the job interview. Indeed, excessive talkers irritate potential employers. The silent types often have a major advantage in job interview situations, and especially if they know how to use silence to their financial advantage!

Communicate Positive Attitudes During the Job Interview

Ronald L. Krannich Ph.D. — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

How you stand and sit - what do you with your arms and legs, how you hold your head, your body orientation toward or away from the listener - communicate messages that are interpreted by other individuals as having positive or negative meanings. The listener (interviewer) may not even be consciously aware of what he is reacting to. But he knows that he feels comfortable or uncomfortable, likes or dislikes, trusts or does not trust, the other individual. If the interviewer responds negatively to the applicant's nonverbal communication, it will be difficult for the candidate to overcome those negatives no matter what the verbal interaction.

Avoid Communicating Nonverbal Messages of Deception

Ronald L. Krannich Ph.D. — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

We learn from a very young age to engage in innocent deception. We receive a gift at our birthday party that we don't like, and what do we do? We are likely to make a sour face or outright tell the giver we don't like it. A parent is likely to tell us that this behavior isn't nice and direct us to apologize to our playmate. We are likely to hear more about our rude behavior after the guests have gone home! So we learn that some deception is okay. We feign appreciation for gifts that we really don't want and learn to hide our disappointment when we lose something we wanted very much. Have you ever wondered at the fact that the winner of the Miss America pageant is the only one of the contestants for whom it is socially acceptable to show tears? The losers must hide their own disappointment and show how happy they are for the young woman who did win the crown. Talk about putting on a happy face!

38 Illegal, Sensitive, and Stupid Interview Questions...and How to Respond

Ronald L. Krannich Ph.D. — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

Despite warnings to the contrary, many employers still ask illegal questions or ones that border on being illegal. Many of these questions deal with age, family responsibilities, and lifestyle. If you encounter such questions, you need to be prepared to respond. Some interviewees may be shocked or feel insulted and respond negatively. Others deal with the questions with a combination of humor and honesty. You have to decide how best to respond to such questions. Some interviewees actually volunteer information that would be considered illegal to acquire through questions. They often do this when asked the ice-breaker question, "Tell me about yourself." They may start by saying they are 29 years old, happily married, two children, a church-going Catholic, and a liberal Democrat. Having said that, there's not much more the interviewer can ask that's considered illegal!

30 Nonverbal Behaviors to Avoid When Interviewing for a Job

Ronald L. Krannich Ph.D. — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 12:59:24 GMT

When interviewing for a job, your nonverbal messages will be more important to the interviewer than your verbal messages. Therefore, you should avoid behaviors that make the interviewer feel uncomfortable or make him feel that you will not fit into their corporate environment. You want to avoid behaviors that lower your credibility and hence call into question your competence to do the job.