What is Career Management?

Did you know that most of us spend more time organising our annual holiday than we spend planning our life in the world of work. As you will spend the majority of your life at work, your happiness and prosperity will depend very much on the degree of success of your career.

Career management is about you taking control of your career, setting strategies and realising your objectives. As one of the hardest things you will ever be faced with is completing a successful career transition, you may need some assistance.

So, what are the benefits of Career Management?

One element of Career Management is Career Assessment. By undertaking some self assessment exercises and psychometric testing together with career guidance from an experienced consultant you will be able to identify your skills, discover your workplace preferences and assess your options. From this assessment stage you will be able to set yourself goals and consider how you can work to achieve them.

You don't have to undergo a career change to benefit from career management services. If you are looking to change jobs, you can benefit from professional advice in the following areas:

• Evaluate your options
• CV compilation
• Interview Training
• Understanding the Job Market
• Networking classes
• How to source opportunities
• Covering Letters
• Direct and Indirect Approaches

INTERVIEW AREA

What should you do? What should you not do? How should you appear?

Introduction

Interviews can be nerve-racking, and can take place in a variety of different styles. Ensure that you are well prepared for your interview and practice beforehand with perhaps a family member or friend.

Find out as much as you can about the company - i.e turnover, other business in addition to core business, culture etc. and also about the position you have applied for.

The more you prepare, the calmer you will be which will enhance your performance in the interview.

What Influences the Interviewer

The more you know about how you will be perceived, the more you can prepare. From a survey of recruiters the qualities which influenced them were, in priority order:

1. Your personality, how you present yourself in the interview
2. Your experience
3. The qualifications you have for the position
4. Your background and references
5. The enthusiasm you have towards the organisation and the job

In brief the 3 major concerns are:

• Can this person do the job?
• Will this person do the job?
• Will this person fit in?

Types of Interview

Interviews can take place in a variety of formats. Make sure you know what kind of interview you will be having. For a telephone interview make sure you have your CV to hand, you are free from distractions, you have a pen and paper handy and also your diary. A panel interview will involve being interviewed by several people. Address your answers to the chairperson unless you are asked a question by another member of the panel. An assessment centre can involve a wide range of tests and exercises - group exercises, psychometric tests for example. The interviewer will be looking for personality traits and how you relate to others.

Self Presentation - Do's and Don'ts

• Do make sure you and your clothes are clean and odour free.
• Do dress suitably for the position - a suit being the most formal and standard interview wear.
• Do have plenty of eye contact with the interviewer.
• Do be confident and well prepared.
• Do make sure your speech is clear and audible.
• Don't get flustered or panic.
• Don't get frustrated with the interviewer if they don't understand your answer.
• Don't lie.
• Frequently Asked Interview Questions

Now you have more information on interviews, consider the following interview questions and prepare answers for them.

• Tell me about yourself.
• Tell me about your current / most recent position.
• Why are you looking for this change?
• What functions and tasks do you enjoy the most?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• What are your plans for the future?
• What was your last manager like?
• What is the hardest job you have ever had?
• How would your colleagues describe you?
• If you had to use five adjectives to describe yourself, what would they be?

Now consider some questions that you would ask the interviewer.

Interview Planner

• Purchase correspondence paper (stationery and matching envelopes). Keep stamps on hand at all times!
• Keep enough paper on hand to print your resumes, cover letters and other correspondence on matching stationery and envelopes.
• Know the standards for writing cover letters and thank-you notes, and when to phone.
• Keep track of all career-related written and verbal correspondence.
• Identify your basic interview wardrobe: Select one or two outfits or suits that are considered fairly conservative for your field.
• Locate your local overnight or one-hour dry cleaner.
• Polish your business shoes.
• Always have extra, clean copies of your resume with you.
• Keep an interview folder to bring with you on interviews. It should contain: a few resumes in a plastic sleeve, some reminders for yourself about your skills and goals, and a pen and some paper to make notes before and after the interview.
• Bring to the interview: your interview folder, the names of the people you are meeting and the address with directions. You may also want a comb, tissues and breath mints.
• Know where you're going in advance. Leave yourself plenty of time to get there. You want to arrive a little bit early, not just on time and never late.
• Follow up with thank-you letters immediately.
• Make sure you can be reached, whether by phone, fax or email.

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