Dressing for an Interview

Over the past couple of years, I have noticed a trend in dressing for an interview. More and more individuals are dressing very casual for an interview.

Years ago, people could dress in t-shirts and flip-flops and get a job due to the demand for people. With more and more people looking and fewer jobs, competition is stiff. So, you need to make sure you present yourself in the best light possible.

You need to dress appropriately for a job interview. Here are a few tips.

If the position is a technical, non-management position, a nice dress shirt and khaki pants will work fine.

If you are seeking a management position, you should wear a suit.

Make sure your shoes are polished. I have seen interviewers look closely at people's shoes. I asked them why. They responded, "If they say that they are detail-oriented and do not polish their shoes, they are not. A detail-oriented person checks everything."

Your dress should be a visual resume. Dress the part.

Interview Tip: Use Examples

When you are in an interview, do not speak in generalities. Use specific examples to make your point. This will demonstrate to your interviewer that you truly have the experience necessary to get the job done.

Additionally, appropriate examples will also have your interviewer agreeing with you especially if he or she has been in that situation before. By engaging at this level with the interviewer, you have made a connection that will remain in place far after the interview is over.

Is Fear Stalling Your Career?

Many would like to move to another job or another career. However, we allow fear to stop us from making the change.

For some, the fear of rejection prevents people from looking for new job. Another fear is starting over in another company. For another group, fear of relocation may keep people from looking elsewhere.

No matter what your fear, you cannot let it get the best of you. Determine what your fear is and address it. If it is rejection, start working on removing things that would cause you to be rejected. It might be that you need more education. Try taking online classes.

Each fear can be addressed if you think about it and figure out a way to deal with it.

No More Generic Resumes

With a competitive job market, you need to every advantage you can get. The first thing you need to do is create specialized resumes. Generic resumes will no longer suffice. Every job opportunity needs to a have a resume customized to the requirements of the position.

Review your resume closely and determine what you are really trying to say about your skills and experience. You need to write your resume to match the requirements of a specific job title.

Is Going into Debt Worth the Degree?

In 2011, educational borrowing has increased in a major way. The average college graduate will have more $25,000 of debt. Overall student loan debt will exceed $1 trillion this year.

According to the Student Loan Network, a student whose debt payment exceeds 15% of his income is likely to default on his student loans.

If you are seriously considering going back to school, think about it very carefully. Consider alternatives like certification programs. For most individuals, a certification program may have a better return on the investment.

For example, if a 49-year-old person decides to pursue a college degree and takes out a student loan with a repayment period of 10 years, the person, once he pays off his student loan, will be 6 years away from retirement. The money spent on the education could have gone into an IRA.

Education is worth the money, but you have to be very careful. In today's economic and the rapid changes in the job market, even the best degree may be a gamble.

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report for the Week Ending January 21, 2012

In the week ending January 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 377,000, an increase of 21,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 356,000. The 4-week moving average was 377,500, a decrease of 2,500 from the previous week's revised average of 380,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent for the week ending January 14, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending January 14, was 3,554,000, an increase of 88,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,466,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,569,000, a decrease of 15,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,584,750.

How to Make $3,000 Extra While at Work

According to recent articles, the average person will buy lunch and coffee while at work. The average comes out to about $3,000 per year. If you factor in time and gasoline spent, you are spending a lot more.

Take your lunch to work and buy a good beverage bottle for your coffee.

If you like to get out, try having lunch outside or in your car. You can purchase a cheap radio or MP3 player and listen to music while you have your lunch.