How can I prepare for my first job interview right out of college?

I just graduated from college and today I have my first job interview. I have worked many minimum wage jobs, so this will be my first career interview. I’m interviewing for an organization that helps mentally handicapped live on there own.

How to sell your abilities in a job interview?

I have been having a hard time selling my abilities to job interviewers. My problem is this, I am from a culture where "tooting your own horn" is frowned upon. Hence, I don’t know what exactly how to sell myself or abilities. It is obvious in my resume I have the skills required for the job, plus I show a personable personality, but when I don’t get the call I am left in oblivion. I don’t know what others expect me to say or not during the interview. I usually research the company but many times I find that this does not tell me anything about the department I am interviewing for, the particular job, or the culture of the company. I talk about my abilities and past experience, plus I answer all their questions. How do you sell yourself in job interviews?

Job interview shenanigans – grownups – bbc comedy

In this video clip from BBC’s Grownups, Michelle is interviewing for a job at Grant’s firm. However, she doesn’t seem to be taking it as seriously as he is… Hilarious British romantic comedy. From the BBC…

4 Steps to Increase Your Confidence During Job Interviews

So, you have finally moved beyond the prescreening phase and have landed the job interview! Your resume set the stage to get you in the door, and now here is your chance to ice the cake. The interview, as you are well aware, is what will either move you towards completion of your goal – or it will be the last step in a lengthy series of steps you have already undertaken. Question: how can you succeed within the interview?

Assuming that you have appropriately prepared yourself for the interview, then the interview should be easy. However, despite all of the preparation, even the best falter when sitting down face to face with a hiring manager or human resources staff. It is one thing to outline who you are on a piece of paper (the resume), it is something else to actually explain who you are in person and face-to-face with another person. The one question most of us dread having to answer is: “Tell me about yourself.” Do they want to know where you previously worked..or where you were born? I mean, there are just so many ways to go with that unbelievably dreaded question. Here is a quick tip: the “tell me about yourself question” is simply asking you to “tell me why you are sitting here, today, interviewing for this specific job?” That is it, nothing more.

So, what are the 4 steps to succeed within a job interview? The best career advice, as it relates to job interviews, career development, etc., is one that encourages the candidate to creatively customize the steps. So the following steps below apply regardless if you are seeking a position as an educator or a computer programmer, a manager or a salesclerk. The most important thing to remember is that every interviewer has a particular goal in mind. If you use these 4 steps, then you are likely to cover all the bases.

The four steps specifically deal with how you manage your response to the interviewer’s questions. Did you catch the word “manage” as it was used in the previous sentence? Yes, I am talking about how you manage the process – - take control of the interview – -. So, when the interviewer asks you a question (i.e., tell me how you handle an angry customer) here are the four steps, as promised:

1) Provide a brief description of the situation: “One of my customers was unhappy with our XYZ widgets.”

2) Add some detail to describe the specific task or role you were assigned to deal with the situation: “I was responsible for dealing directly with our department’s major clients and so, I was charged with turning the situation around for this unhappy customer.”

3) Provide one or two key action steps you took to handle the situation: “I contacted the customer directly and requested feedback. I authorized a refund or future discounts to this particular customer.”

4) As a RESULT of your action steps, what happened? “As a result of the refund and discount, the customer increased their orders by 25%.”

The four steps may be interchangeable – - you describe step 4 (the results) prior to step 1 (the situation), however, the key is to be able to list specific results that were gained. Most importantly, the results have to be tied directly to your action steps. Interviewers are looking for RESULTS, not just generalities (”I think I would make a good employee for your company”; or worse yet, “I am good with clients because I enjoy relating to others.”). They need hard facts, verifiable data. And you are the most qualified candidate who is prepared to give it to them.

A bit of caution: please do not create a script to memorize these 4 steps. Ok, if it makes you feel comfortable, and better prepared, then you can write specific responses to the typical interview questions and follow the 4 steps above. Review it, then throw the script away. What is important is that you remember the 4 steps and can apply them to your own career success stories.

The best type of job interview is one that unfolds into a content-rich discussion of how your specific qualifications match the needs of the company. It is important for the interviewer to be able to see how you fit within the company environment and culture. Of course, one interview may not provide all of this detail – - but you want to give yourself a good head start. Succeeding within the interview requires extensive preparation, an understanding of how to tailor your capabilities within the scope of the company’s needs, and your ability to provide details related to how you can provide desired results as a future employee.

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Fool Me Once, Shame on You; Fool Me Twice, I’m an Idiot

I got a call earlier today from Robert, a candidate I met a few months ago while conducting a search for a Vice President of Marketing in South Florida. “A recruiter out of L.A. called me about a Director of Marketing position and I have a phone interview scheduled this afternoon with their Human Resources Manager,” he said. “The recruiter told me to be prepared to discuss my work history because she’ll want to go over it with a fine tooth comb. How should I address the fact that I’ve changed jobs several times over past few years, because I know it’s going to come up.”

Looking at Robert’s resume, he has worked in 5 different positions (and companies) since 1998, which not be that bad were he averaging 2 years at each position. But, alas, the last 5 years goes something like this: 6 months at his most recent position, preceded by 3 years of independent consulting, and before that a 1 year and 3 year stint. Not exactly a model of stability.

Depending on how this HR Manager views self-employment, the 3 years he spent working for himself could be viewed as a positive or a negative. The fact that he only lasted 6 months at the position he accepted immediately after working for himself is definitely an obstacle he’ll need to explain away. The first thing any good recruiter or hiring manager worth their salt should ask themselves when they see this on his resume is, “Is this a guy that got comfortable making his own hours while answering to no one, and then balked as soon as he was thrown back into a structured environment?”

Having gotten the low down on the situation from Robert, I do not believe that was the case. I think the company’s president, to whom Robert reported, had an unrealistic expectations as to what Robert alone could accomplish. However, Robert definitely shares in the responsibility. He did a poor job of determining whether or not the appropriate resources required to accomplish the goals of the position would be made available to him. He made false assumptions as to the capabilities of the individuals that would be reporting to him as well as the level of flexibility he would have to either outsource specific tasks or hire additional personnel.

“And that’s exactly what I would tell the HR Manager or anyone who asks,” I advised him.

Employers have very specific (and generally high!) expectations of the positions they hire for, and unless you’ve got a work history that jumps up off the resume and kisses them on the mouth they’re going to question some of the career decisions you’ve made. Get used to it.

Let’s say a hiring manager’s expectation is to bring a candidate on board, wind them up and let them perform in a particular role for at least 5 years. If the last 10 years of your work history is comprised of multiple 18 to 24 month tours of duty, then you’re going to have to come up with a helluva good story as to why you think you’ll be with their company for the long haul.

Why do we study history? So we’re not doomed to repeat it!

For those of you that feel your most recent work history might be your Achilles’ heel when it comes to interviewing is, my advice is:

1. Take responsibility for bad career decisions.

I get tired of hearing: “I was misled!” or “The job was misrepresented to me!” Were you lied to? Or did you misrepresent your capabilities? I mean, come on, even if the hiring manager blatantly lied directly to your face regarding every single facet of the position, there would be some signs that you were being conned. If you think a sales manager is exaggerating the amount of money you can make in commissions, ask to speak with a couple of their reps regarding the position, then ask them a couple questions “off the record.” It’s called due diligence and it’s your responsibility.

2. Quit blaming other people for your failures or lack of judgment.

“I just didn’t have the team in place to support our goals,” does not get you off the hook. If you’re applying for a management position, ask to meet some of the employees that will be working under you before accepting the position. Find out what flexibility you’ll have when it comes to hiring, firing, outsourcing, etc. After all, it’s your job to manage the team and make the right personnel decisions in order to meet your responsibilities. And if you plan on discussing how diabolical the office politics were at your last job during the interview, you might also want to plan on bursting into tears for dramatic effect. You might as well–you’re not getting the job anyway.

3. Convince them you have learned your lesson(s).

Hey, we all make mistakes. I guarantee you the same HR manager that’s grilling you on why you left some joe-job 10 years ago has a couple of 6-month jaunts in her closet as well. Sometimes we take a job simply because we need a job. No, it’s not a strategy for long-term career success, but it keeps the lights on and the mortgage man at bay for a while. Employers just want to know that you’re not going to bide your time on their job until you find the one your really want, or that you’re taking the position because you’re desperate for money.

It’s important that you recognize and understand why certain job decisions were mistakes and what you could have done differently, either by qualifying the position further or by not taking it in the first place. Show them that you are going to do your due diligence when it comes to their position and then most importantly, DO IT!

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Going After the Non-Job . . . An Exciting Alternative Strategy!

A non-job? C’mon! Of course, you’d expect that if you’re in the job market you’re going after a job. Makes sense. It’s what we’ve known for years.

But things have changed a lot in the past years, especially since 911 and Katrina. And the classic notion of a job as a well-defined description of an employment task has changed, too. Sure, you’ll still find job descriptions, as in advertised job openings online or in the paper. But they aren’t what they appear.

For example, in our research we’ve found that many advertised job openings or even non-advertised job descriptions are really crapshoots. Employers are trying to get feel for who’s out there. They’re really only doing a little market research of their own.

So, when you apply for one of these openings, your resume and job app information is thrown in the hopper with possibly hundreds of others. And some personnel staffer will sort them out to get a feel for what talent is out there. These are not hiring decision-makers reviewing this information. Chances are those folks will never even see your resume.

Why?

Well, put yourself in a busy manager’s shoes. You know there are some business needs that have to be filled by bringing someone new on board. Now, if you were anxious to make a hiring decision but you also have a hundred other important decisions you’re responsible for making as well, which of these two candidates would you prefer to meet within the limited time you can set aside?

1. Someone who has passed through a couple interview cycles conducted by an unrelated department and whose credentials are on a piece of paper (which focuses on what the candidate used to do for someone else).

2. Someone who’s been recommended to you by a pro in the business and who has made a personal introduction. By the way, this candidate has not submitted a resume, but has put together a thoughtful proposal showing how he/she would answer some organizational issues of importance to you. And the proposal has been submitted directly to you in advance.

Number two is the hands down winner in all the surveys we’ve conducted. But to get that meeting you have to treat this as a non-job.

In other words, if you think you’ll beat out the competition and go after a job by putting together a superior resume and jumping through all the hoops some lower level interviewers throw at you . . . I believe you can readily understand how limited your chances are, especially if your up against a savvy candidate like #2 who treats this as a non-job.

The non-job candidate approaches this as an opportunity to meet face-to-face with a decision-maker and help that employer solve some problems. And then, together, they shape the job description that will move the process forward.

It’s all part of the exciting alternative job search revolution using non-traditional career advancement strategies. It’s why non-job candidates are getting in front of employers in matter of days without all the resume and interviewing hoopla. And why they’re locking up great job offers in as little as two weeks!

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Paul Megan writes for EEI, the world-class pioneer in alternative job search techniques and non-traditional career advancement strategies . . . since 1985. Grab our stunning FREE REPORT: “How To Find A Job In As Little As 14 Days!” Click on RSS for instant info! www.fastest-job-search.com

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How To Make A Cover Letter For Your Job Application

It’s a bit of a misconception that the resume is THE most important part of the job application process. While having a resume that stands out is crucial, but it can fall flat on its face if it’s accompanied by a poorly written cover letter, or worse still, doesn’t even include one. There’s always so much focus on the resume, but applicants trying to get onto the Human Resources short list of potential candidates, really should know how to make a cover letter that compliments their resume.

It doesn’t matter what your field of enterprise or level of experience is, it’s really not that difficult to write an attention-grabbing cover letter which, in conjunction with a strong resume, should put you on the desk of possible interviewees and not in the bin under it with the pile of eliminations.

Put yourself in the place of the interviewers for a moment. Usually, when a company advertises a position within an organization, they are literally inundated with dozens, sometimes hundreds, and occasionally thousands of hopefuls, all of which have sent in their resume for consideration.

The good news for those of you reading this is that most of these applications don’t even see the light of day. So many folks just throw a bog-standard resume into an envelope and stick it in the post along with probably dozens of other applications to other companies. For them it’s a numbers game and they follow the rule that if you throw enough stuff out there, some of it is bound to stick.

But if you really, really want the position in question, then you need to know how to make a cover letter, but not only how to make it, but how make it stand out. Just think about the results you’ll experience in your job search when your cover letter gets opened and it has real attention-grabbing headline that is so unique and so persuasive that the hiring manager cannot put it down without reading further.

For the best part your cover letter does not have to be long-winded. In fact, unless it’s requested, you need to make it as short and to the point as much as possible. That said, there needs to be power in those there words, so think carefully especially about the headline, and avoid lame titles such as ‘College Graduate Desperate for Work!’. Be mindful that you never get a second chance to make a first impression!

You might want to kick off with a title something like; Are You Still Looking To Fill the Position of {Insert Job Title Here}? Here’s Why I Sincerely Believe I Could Be Exactly What You’re Looking for …

You then begin your cover letter with a strong opening paragraph and it’s this opening paragraph where your cover letter will make its second impression after the headline. You should also make reference to the enclosed resume in your cover letter so that they can compliment each other. If the cover letter warrants it, you may also want to make it an easy read by using bulleted points to methodically highlight certain items of importance and relevance to the application.

Whatever you do, don’t write long paragraphs as they’re heavy on the eye, and if you think about how many resumes and cover letters the interviewing manager has to plough through, it’s a sure fire way to get binned quickly, no matter how good the wording. It’s by far better to have 3 or 4 short paragraphs than 2 long ones.

There are a lot of resources available today for creating resumes and showing folks how to make a powerful cover letter. Heed what they teach and you’ll greatly improve your chances of getting that interview and job that you long for.

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Read more on jobs and employment issues including Jobs in photography, options with Music Jobs , and making money from Online Paid Surveys. Plus much more at Enough Jobs dot com.

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A Career Plan of Action For The New Graduate

Congratulations, you’ve just graduated with a degree in your chosen field.

So what’s your next step going to be to launch your long-anticipated career?

Like a young racehorse at the starting gate, you have tons of energy and determination, and are anxious to get out there and seize new career opportunities. But are you ready? Do you know what you need to do? Do you have a plan of action to turn those opportunities into a reality? If you don’t, you will need to get one.

I’m sure you’ve heard the old adage that the quickest route from point A to point B is a straight line. Well, launching your career is no different in terms of setting your job search goals and carrying them out diligently and methodically You might have a few corners to navigate, but you should do your best to avoid deviating from your goal as much as possible.

One of the first things you need to decide is what type of job interests you the most. Depending on what your degree is, there might be many positions in your field to consider. For example, if you are a graduate nurse you can work in a hospital, clinic, nursing home, childcare center, school, private practice, or field setting. Then, within those settings you can work within various units such as medical-surgical, pediatrics, and maternity. Then there are transitional opportunities.

Let’s say you tried your hand at nursing and realized it was not what you expected. You can always consider pharmaceutical sales as a new career. Some fields, such as business management, are even more flexible. The key is to decide which direction you are headed towards and learn as much about that field as you possible can.

Okay, you hate to admit it, but you spent all of that time and money, but you’re still not sure what you want to do. You have an idea about what you might want to do, but it’s just not clear yet. None of the possibilities you’ve explored get you excited. In fact, you’re feeling downright frustrated and depressed.

Don’t worry. It really isn’t that bad. Keep in mind that you don’t have to start at the top, and don’t have to commit yourself to an employer. So don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Maybe you just need to get your foot in the door somewhere to test the waters before you decide to go full steam ahead. You might even want to spend the first year to discover what it is that you really want to do.

That way your mind will be open to possibilities and you will have a positive attitude. Just don’t waste time. Set weekly goals. Use that year to WORK at finding out what you want to do. Then prepare to do it and do it well.

If you want to explore your career without the assistance of a job coach or career counselor, a good way to start is to conduct some independent research. Let’s assume your degree in is law enforcement or criminal justice. You will need to decide if you want to work in corporate security or private investigation.

But how do you decide? Well, if your college’s career center cannot provide you with specific information, visit Occupational Outlook Handbook online to get an overview of various positions in your field. Join industry specific chat rooms to see what everyone is talking about. Go to the websites of various companies. Get involved in conversations. Ask lots of questions. Get advice from friends, family members, and neighbors. Ask them what they do and how they got started.

If you are not sure if a particular area of your industry is right for you, call or write professionals already in positions of interest to request an information interview. An information interview will allow you the opportunity to question a professional about the nature and requirements of a position. Some people will not be available, whereas other people will welcome the opportunity to give you fifteen minutes of their time.

If someone avoids you, don’t take it personally. Just move on to the next possible contact. Once you make a connection, you will need to be polite, organized, and demonstrate exceptional professionalism and communication skills.

During your information interview, remember to take detailed notes. When you are done, thank them wholeheartedly for their time. Be sure to get their full name and contact information so you can send them a follow-up thank you letter. They might even have an opening, so be sure to make a good impression.

Once you have narrowed it down, have your resume developed professionally and post it on major job boards, such as monster*com, careerbuilder*com, and hotjobs*com to see what contacts can be made. While you are there, search job openings to glean what the job descriptions are so you can see what will be expected of you.

Your resume writer will probably want you to do that anyway so they can get a good idea of the jobs you are interested in to ensure your resume is very targeted. Be proactive and tell your resume writer that you have done that and would like to share that information with them.

Okay, so now you know what you want to do and you have a great resume and cover letter. Now what? You’ve probably heard how important networking is, that it’s not what you know but who you know. Well, that’s not always the case; but knowing the right person sure can’t hurt. With that in mind, let everyone you come in contact with know you are looking for a job. Be sure to keep your resume updated and in your car (protected from spills and creasing) so you can hand them out at a moment’s notice.

Join an organization to become acquainted with people in your industry, attend career fairs, become affiliated with recruiters, and research companies online (post your resume at their websites), at the library, and even in the yellow pages to get leads to mail your resume and cover letter. This last approach is a great strategy.

Let’s say you recently graduated with your Masters in Social Work. You can open your yellow pages to Adoption Agencies to acquire the mailing addresses of several social service agencies. Be sure to call the receptionist first to request the proper name, title, and department of the contact to send your resume and cover letter.

Other strategies include creating a web resume so people can view your formatted, interactive resume online. If you don’t know how to do this, research how or hire someone to do it for you. Be sure to have business cards made and add your web resume address to it!

Another great way to get started is to temp for a while. If you do decide to temp, be selective. You should only work for the best companies in your field to get the very best experience possible. It is also a great way to prove yourself as a favorable candidate for a permanent position.

Don’t temp for too long because it might cause a potential employer to wonder why you haven’t secured a permanent position for a certain length of time. If during an interview you are asked why you temped, confidently state that you chose to temp to gain well-rounded experience in your field. Don’t apologize for anything!

No matter what your plan of action is, be sure to keep organized notes and track every move you make. Prepare a list of names, company names, addresses, telephone numbers, fax numbers, email addresses, and website addresses. Keep the list near the phone of every company you sent your resume and cover letter. That way you will know whom you are speaking with when they call to extend an initial or follow up interview. This is especially important if you are going on several interviews.

If you are not organized, you will get confused and seem unprofessional. You will want to make a great first impression from the very beginning, starting with a great resume and cover letter. If you have your baby sister’s cute little voice or a musical greeting on your answering machine, replace it with a professional message that says that you have reached John Smith at 555-5555, that you not available at this time and to please leave a name and reason for calling. Follow through with stating you will return their call as soon as possible, and thank them for calling. If your email address is bowlingkingpin@aol*com, be sure to change it to JSmith1234@aol*com.

If you are on the road all of the time, or if members of your family do not speak English, get a cell phone so you can be reached anytime, anywhere. List that number as your only number without explanation. If you list both your home number and your cell number, then indicate which number is your home number and which number is your cell number. They will probably call your home number first.

If you have a lot of friends who call you on your cell, be on guard to answer your cell phone professionally. If you are going on an interview, leave your cell phone in your glove compartment. You don’t want your cell phone to ring in the middle of the interview.

Be prepared and on time for the interview, if not early. Make sure you have several outfits to wear to go on several interviews in a week’s time so you don’t stress. Make sure you dress appropriately for your interview. You can’t go wrong if you are conservative. If it is a creative industry, you can dress with more flair or even casual, but don’t dress too crazy. Have extra resumes handy (don’t bring your cover letter) to give to the hiring manager so he/she can distribute them to other managers without having to make copies. Practice your interviewing technique.

Ask a friend to role-play with you. Get a book with commonly asked interview questions. In addition to learning what to say, you need to learn what not to say and what not to do. Send out thank you letters within 24-hours that mention something important discussed in the interview keeping the position in mind at all times and reiterating your strengths.

Above all, be professional in behavior and appearance, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, organized, interested in the company and position (have about ten questions to ask them that have nothing to do with you), and try your best to be interesting when you talk about your experiences, regardless how limited they may be. If you are nervous, keep in mind that you are interviewing them, too.

You don’t want to work for just anyone, do you? Be sure to convey that. You don’t have to be arrogant about it, but you should come across as a commodity, not as a desperate, nervous job seeker. If you think like that, your confidence will shine through naturally because you will feel good about yourself and will be ready for anything! Before long, you’ll be launching your career.

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How To Learn Programming

You can become a programmer by going to college to study computer science and landing a beginner programming job. However, not everyone can afford to spend money or time in a college education. You can be on your way to building your programming career by learning from experienced developers or teach yourself programming using affordable textbooks, training courses and or coaching programs without attending college. I have written a series of articles telling people how to become a software developer in the shortest possible time frame at: http://www.it-career-coach.com . In this article I will show you how to become a computer programmer without investing a lot of time and money in college.

What Qualifications or Degrees are Needed?

Getting your first programming job without a college education is not as hard as you may think. This is because when it comes to programming, employers put more emphasis on your ability to write good quality code than your educational credentials. Many programmers have taken advantage of this to forgo college and focus on developing their programming skills to the best of their ability.

What Do Employers Want?

So, you have prepared a resume, sent it over to hiring managers and are now getting ready for your technical interviews; but you should slow down and ask yourself “What do the employers really want?” Whether you learned programming yourself or were taught at college or in a correspondence training course, employers are looking for superior software development skills more than anything else. After you are hired employers expect you to be able to document and design software applications and write good quality code, regardless of where you learned the skill.

It Is Easy To Study Computer Programming and Get a Job

One of the best kept advantages of becoming a computer programmer is that you can learn computer programming at home and advance your skills to a competent level without first getting a programming job. When I realized this more than 12 years ago that I could just buy a computer, connect it to the internet and learn as much programming as I wanted without having to get a job first, I was excited. Of course, I realized that I would still need to invest in programming books, buy software development tools, and invest in training packages that would allow me to learn programming on my own. I figured out that the total cost of my investments in computer programming training would pale in comparison to how much I would earn as a programmer and how much more time it would take me to study medicine or law in college. After my developer training I was able to get a well paying contract programming job within 24 weeks. It was an opportunity I knew I would not have gotten so quickly with any other well paying career.

How to Get a Computer Programming Job without a College Degree

What you need to emphasize when looking for a computer programming job is your software development knowledge, coding skills and any programming experience that is related to the job you are interviewing for. If you don’t have a college degree emphasizes the other skills you have attained, like your ability to learn technology quickly, how you keep up with technology or solve real programming problems. In other words, you have to prove to prospective employers or hiring managers that you can do the job well if given the chance. Make sure your prospective employer sees the list of programming projects you have completed in a short time, web sites or software programs you have built and a list of books and future projects you are planning to work on. Show your prospective employer that you have a beautiful mind and make the case that you are an asset to any one who hires you!

Where Does This Leave You?

This leaves you without an excuse for not taking action. I am granting you the liberty to pursue your passion, your dream and your personal excellence to learn or master computer programming. I take pride in being an IT Career Coach, software developer mentor, and contract programmer who has worked with people that have overcome all sorts of obstacles, personal situations, and challenges to begin their programming career. On my blog, I coach, mentor and train individuals who want to transition to a software developer career or become an expert computer programmer. From my personal experience and observation helping programmers from all over the world succeed in software development professions, your success in programming boils down to how skilled you are at software development and how much experience you have in solving real-world computer problems. If you gain a lot of practical programming skills and knowledge your software development career will go into overdrive.

If you want to improve your programming skills and take your career to the next level, I encourage you to read the book “The Street Smart Guide to Computer Programmer Careers”. It explains how to master computer programming in as little as 6 months. It will shave years off your learning curve by showing you how to learn programming fast, how to prepare your resume so you get noticed by hiring managers, how to prepare and excel at technical job interviews so you get job offers more easily and how to consistently gain the kind of programming experience that keeps your career moving forward.

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Are Your IT Certifications Really Worth It?

Are you confused by the alphabet soup of IT certifications? More importantly, do they really matter? How valuable are these IT certifications in advancing your IT professional career?

Well, a panel of recruiters and hiring managers tackled this issue recently. And here’s their answer: it depends.

They’re crucial in some fields. In general they’re nice to have. But they rarely take the place of solid experience. For instance, a major recruiting firm in Dallas reports that only about 10% of their job orders require IT certifications. He went on to point out that if you’re looking at a job that involves protecting “mission critical” data, often you need to have certifications just to get in the front door.

Here’s a list of IT jobs that typically require certifications.

1. Data security specialist with SSCP, CISSP and CCSP credentials.

2. Access control systems.

3. Business continuity planning.

4. Cryptography and systems architecture.

5. Professionals working with UNIX systems.

6. Microsoft applications support and storage.

On the other hand, some employers have become cynical about IT certifications. For example, the CEO of Intelemedia Communications says his company now uses an essay test to screen candidates. He says, “All a certification says is that a person was able to pass a written test.”

Nonetheless, many large companies do require IT certifications just to filter out unqualified candidates. But someone with many certifications and little experience can get written off as a professional student. What’s more, a certification that’s been allowed to lapse can be worse than no certification at all.

An IT association recently polled its members regarding the value of IT certifications. When asked whether they enabled a promotion or furthered their career path, they were almost equally divided: 36% said “yes” and 35% said “no.”

In the final analysis, everything depends on the disposition of the hiring manager. This is not peculiar to the IT field. In any job opportunity, everything depends on the rapport and chemistry you’re able to generate with the person who could be you next boss.

So, if you are job hunting in the IT market, the best advice is to employ some of the remarkable alternative job search strategies which refocus your attention on your relationship with a prospective employer instead of on your credentials. In fact, they won’t make any difference if you’re unable to come to the table with answers to IT issues the organization is facing.

This innovative non-traditional career advancement approach requires that you spend your job search time familiarizing yourself with the needs and expectations of both the company and the hiring decision-maker.

When you do, you’ll join the hundreds of IT professionals who have discovered how to meet face-to-face with hiring managers in a matter of days . . . without all the IT certifications, resume and interviewing hoopla. Check this out right away!

Article Source: http://www.articlesauce.com

Paul Megan writes for EEI, the world-class pioneer in alternative job search techniques and non-traditional career advancement strategies . . . since 1985. Grab our stunning FREE REPORT: “How To Find A Job In As Little As 14 Days!” Click on RSS for instant info! www.fastest-job-search.com

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