Why should we hire you?

This is often considered a “gotcha” question, as it can be meant to trip you up. That said, it isn’t all that difficult. How you should view this question is an opportunity to sell yourself to the hiring manager. Review your résumé and find three to four selling points that you can reference during the interview.

First, look for summer job experience, skills, fellowships, internships, courses, or association experience on your résumé that are a good match for the job in question. Try to develop at least two success stories in which you cast yourself in a positive light and link this success to the job duties of the new position.

Also, be sure to give concrete examples. If you are touting your writing skills, be sure to reference the college award you won for best legal brief or a letter of reference from your summer internship coordinator lauding your writing abilities.

One other thing to remember: It’s fine to note what you’ll gain by being hired, but the hiring manager really doesn’t care about that. He or she needs to know that they are hiring someone who will bring value to the firm and improve its bottom line—and you need to stress this in your response.

Looking For A Job? 6 Practical Tips For Job Seekers In The Pandemic

If you’re looking for a job right now, you’re probably anxious for things to get back to whatever version of “normal” comes after the pandemic. And if you don’t like the job you have, you might feel guilty about thinking about changing companies during this global crisis.

Rest assured, there are millions of people in your same situation. Last spring, the onset of the coronavirus pandemic led to the highest unemployment rate ever witnessed in American history. And a lot of places are nowhere near full recovery from that initial shock. 

But even if you’re feeling desperate about your employment options, you shouldn’t give up trying to find a job. Here are a few pandemic-era strategies you can adopt to make the most of your job search.

1. Prepare to be Flexible

Not seeing a lot of jobs in your field? It may be time to broaden your search.

A recent Joblist survey found that 65% of job seekers are now more likely to take a position outside their industry than they were before the pandemic, and 42% are more open to a part-time, gig or contract position. 

That particularly goes for people working in leisure and hospitality, fields that have been hit especially hard by the economic impact of the pandemic. During the height of the economic shutdown in April, nearly 40% of job losses came from these two industries. And many of those businesses are still trying to figure out paths to stability. 

“A lot of skills in hospitality are widely applicable to other jobs that may have had a surge in hiring. If you’re starting to look for jobs that are outside of your role or industry, you may want to ask for help preparing for the process. Cynthia Hayward, director of coaching and career transition services at CBIZ Inc., recommended tapping into your local community college, as most offer some sort of career coaching or resume review assistance at no cost. 

2. Reflect on Your Career Path

There may be a small silver lining for some job-seekers, Harrington said: the chance to think about how your skills, experience, and interests could work outside your current or most recent role. You may discover that you’re able to seek a role that’s a better fit for the long-term career path you want to take. 

“If there was ever a time to have a gap or take some kind of sabbatical, go back to school, or change careers, now is the time,” Hayward said. If paying for training isn’t an option for you, look for free or low-cost programs in your area, or keep an eye out for employers willing to train new hires. 

Hayward explained that many job changes take place because one opportunity leads to another—but you may not think about how those roles add up until you’re well into a profession. This period may offer you the chance to plan your ideal next few steps for your long-term job goals and start working toward them.

While in the past a big career pivot could be seen as indecisive, recruiters and hiring managers are likely to be more accepting of job jumping and big vocational changes after the pandemic starts to wane. “A year from now…everyone will think it’s normal to have made a change at this time,” she said.

3. Lean on Your Network

Industry meetups and in-person networking happy hours may be on hold for now, but it’s still important to share your employment goals with others. 

Although you may be suffering from Zoom fatigue, it’s worth setting up an informational phone or video-chat meetings as if you were asking someone in your network to meet for a cup of coffee. 

“Seventy to 75% of jobs aren’t published anywhere,” Hayward said. “Look out into your network, identify employers you admire, and network with people you know there. You may discover some inroads to new roles.” 

In another time and place, you might have felt embarrassed to admit you were out of work or were looking for a new job. But in a strange pandemic economy, the more people who know you’re open to opportunities, the better your chances of getting your resume in front of a hiring manager.

4. Look Beyond Your Region

Don’t forget about increasing opportunities for remote work, especially in the fields of customer service, marketing and education.

“Your job market used to be 25-50 miles around where you lived,” Harrington said. With the rapid rise of remote work and more employers choosing to allow remote work beyond the pandemic, you may be able to consider positions at companies you once thought out of reach due to where you live.

Before the pandemic, about 4% of the U.S. workforce worked from home at least half the time. By summer 2020, more than 40% of the U.S. workforce was clocking in from home. 

While that rate of remote work is likely to decline as the economy continues to reopen, it’s likely that many companies will embrace remote work permanently in some capacity.

5. Get Ready for Zoom Interviews

Before you get a job, you’ll likely have to complete at least a couple interviews. And unless you’re preparing to work on the front lines during this pandemic, most interviews will be remote. You’ll need to sell your skills by phone or video chat.

“You don’t get to make that handshake impression,” when you participate in virtual or phone interviews, Hayward said. “So you’ve got to make sure the rest of your stuff is bulletproof.” That means updating and reviewing your resume, LinkedIn, and social media profiles. 

It also means preparing for the technological requirements of a virtual interview. Recruit a friend to test your settings with you prior to a video interview to make sure your connection is strong and you’ve picked out a distraction-free spot to take the meeting. “Those first few minutes are critical,” Hayward said, so make sure your interview starts strong—not with technical difficulties.

6. Remember: Improvement is Coming

Harrington anticipates the job market will improve significantly by the second half of the year, once the vaccine has been distributed more widely. “Main Street” small and medium businesses will start hiring again—alongside large companies that have continued to hire through the pandemic—which will present a greater diversity of job openings. That means job seekers in suburban and rural areas, in particular, could see a considerable increase in openings starting in summer 2021, he said.

Tips Can Help You Prepare For The Salary Negotiation

 

Whether you are requesting a new job or a salary increment in your current position, salary negotiation is playing an important role. Being an employee showcase your talent to a current or future employer that what values you brings to the company. These will be deciding factors the company use during your salary negotiations.

 

The following tips can help you prepare for the salary negotiation to come:

•         Know your value
•          Consider other negotiable benefits
•          Right Time for Right Things
•          Prepare & Practice negotiation skills

 

1.       Know your value and limitation

You should always be ready with your minimum and desired expectation for salary negotiation so do some research about your industry and your job specification, you’ll likely come up with a range that represents your market value. That will help you to negotiate for a competitive salary

 

2. Consider other negotiable benefits

When negotiating salary for a new opportunity, consider the other benefits, including work-life balance, learning and advanced training opportunities, career growth, work flexibilities, reimbursement policy etc… Introducing a few of these benefits may be a useful tactic to further demonstrate your desire to increase your value to your employer.

 

3. Right Time for Right Things.

Studies show that you are more likely to get a raise if you ask in mid-week. There are times when salary negotiations are more successful, steps in your career, and stage of the hiring process. If possible, try to schedule your salary negotiation during one of these optimal times so you and your employer are best prepared.

When it comes to moments in your career, you can ask for a higher salary at certain stages, such as after advanced education or training, professional certifications, or added leadership responsibilities. If you are currently employed, you can ask your employer for a raise if you reach a company anniversary, earn workplace achievements and recognition or have proof that you helped the company achieve a goal. If you’re a new hire, you can discuss the previous experiences and accomplishments you mentioned during the interview process in terms of salary value at their company.

 

As a new employee, a salary negotiation typically occurs after your employer has made an offer. Employers often provide a timeframe in which candidates can think about the offer and possibly provide a counteroffer, beginning the negotiation process. You can take this time to evaluate the salary and benefits package and determine whether your qualifications are equal to the amount offered. If you want to begin the negotiation process, consider scheduling a meeting during optimal times of the day and week, if possible.

 

4. Prepare and Practice negotiation skills

Effective negotiation is learned, and your ability to present the value of your qualifications can improve with practice. Before a negotiation, use planning skills to outline each point of your argument. Use persuasion to highlight your most valuable qualities and the benefits each provides to your employer. If you are employed and your negotiation does not result in a raise, ask to meet with your boss to discuss why the increase was denied and what you can do to earn an increase in the future. This communication method can show your employer that you are committed to improving your skills and unlocking your potential.

Important Interview Questions Answer for Teacher

Getting into this profession requires a candidate to answer teacher interview questions. However, answering is not enough. A candidate must have the depth required to be an influencer.  He/she should also be able to display the same so that the interviewer is confident about hiring the right person for a teaching job.

With the changing times and coming of technology in education (EdTech) the responsibility and expertise required for the teaching profession have also gone a sea change. Unlike in the past, a teacher today is required to have knowledge or awareness of various audio-visual teaching aids.

Keeping in mind the future of students, most schools in India follow a particular format to hire a good teacher. The process may vary from school to school but the essence remains the same – to hire the best teacher.

Like any other interview, a teaching interview also requires you to prepare for common teaching interview questions. But there may be one of several written assessments that you may have to complete before you face any teacher interview questions. And quite a few questions asked in a teaching interview are behavioral questions. So, you may have to keep that in mind while preparing for your teacher interview.

Here are some of the important teacher interview questions that you may be asked:

• What motivates you to be a teacher?
• What is your idea behind this profession or your philosophy that drives you every day to work?
• What method will you take to handle a difficult student?
• How will you encourage and motivate students in your class?
• Do you like to keep parents in the loop about a student’s progress?
• How will you build relationships with your parents?
• What is a lesson plan and how do you prepare one?
• How do you handle classroom discipline?
• How would you deal with an angry parent?
• What actions will you take to manage underperforming students?
• How can you make learning more fun for your students?

 Subject Related Written Assessment

The written assignment is the first round one has to face before the interview. This assessment is to judge a candidate’s knowledge related to the subject.  In addition, it is used to determine how well a candidate can perform a certain set of skills related to a particular subject or group of subjects for which they have applied. This form of assessment is a mass eliminator and those who are able to clear this round are able to proceed to the HR Interview.

HR Interview

This round is to understand the psyche of a candidate and also to understand their backgrounds. Besides the common teacher interview questions listed above, in this round, you may be asked the following questions as well:

• Tell me about a time when you solved a student’s problem with other teachers.
• What’s the one major thing you have learned in your last job that will help you here?
• Tell me about your strengths in difficult times at work.
• Tell me about a time when someone gave you feedback and how you felt and handled it.
• Where are you from?
• Walk me through any lesson of your choice as storytelling.
• Any questions for me?
• The interview questions in this round are to judge a candidate’s aptitude to teach in the classroom.

Subject Related Panel Interview

This interview is related to the subject that a candidate is supposed to teach in school. This panel interview consists of people who have mastery in subjects along with the school principal and director. This round is to judge a candidate’s knowledge of the subject. The major questions are related to a theorem or a concept in the book. A few questions also demand a practical mindset to answer. This round if cleared can take a candidate to the next level which is about practical teaching.

Teaching Test/ Audition

In this round, the candidate is asked to go to a real life setting and teach students in the class. The candidate here is judged by a senior teacher who is an expert in the domain knowledge. This round gives a clear idea about how a candidate may perform in the classroom and the basis this 90% of selection decision is taken.

Psychometric Test

A few top private schools in the country prefer to take a psychometric test before hiring a teacher. This gives schools an idea about the capabilities that they look for in a competent teacher.  Most schools prefer the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality test that unveils the following:

 

• Uncover team strengths
• Enhance team understanding of each other
• Understand the level of appreciation of own and others contribution
• Understand the level of a candidate’s performance in teams
• Understand the problem-solving ideology of the candidate
• Uncover the candidate’s weaknesses and potential blind spots in the team work 

 

Final Negotiation

This again is the HR negotiation but with senior HR of the school, here a candidate is asked about his or her salary expectation and a final offer is rolled.

In this whole process, the teacher interview questions are based on parameters to judge aptitude, knowledge, ability, mindset, tech-savvy behavior and teamwork.

 

How to Attend the Video Call Interview - Tips

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the way we get hired now and how recruiters select the best candidates for a job, In these times, most employers moved offline to online hiring. Companies are relying on video job interviews. These interviews can take several forms. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the types of video interviews, What you should wear, and helpful tips on body language and eye contact.

Video Interviews tips:

Find a quiet, private, well-lit place, free from possible interruptions.

You will be responsible for finding a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted by other people, pets, or noises, avoid the public-place or other communal spaces. Next, you need good connectivity and systems with a webcam. For a video call, you need at least a 1MB speed bandwidth internet connection to avoid data fluctuation.

 Dress professionally and avoid bright colors.

You should dress professionally the same way you would for an in-person job interview and avoid bright colors and patterns to look your best on camera. Position the camera so that you are looking up centered on the screen.

 Body Language

Throughout the interview, keep positive behavior and convey optimism with your body language. When the interviewer asking the questions listen to him/her carefully, nod, and smile when appropriate to communicate that you are giving them your full attention.

 Preparation

Before the interview prepares all required things and set up your system, webcam, headphone, and internet connectivity and also close any windows, tabs, or application on your computer that you are not using. At the place, you must have a copy of your resume, Notepad, and pen/pencil for you to take notes. Also, do some research about the potential employer and job specifications.

Interview Questions And Answers For Freshers

 Interview Questions & Answers For Freshers

Tell us about yourself.

This is the common interview question to start with to analyze how confident you are and how you present yourself. Therefore, you don't need to tell the interviewer about your favorite movie, actor, etc. The best way present yourself is to tell the hiring manager about your educational accomplishments and short family background and also you should quickly share about your strength & skills that build the platform for further discussion.

What are your strength and weakness?

Be Attentive,  When you are answering this question. As the interviewer analysis, your strength for the job role and tries to understand the challenges you might face in the new job role. Therefore, strengths should be related to your job role and choose a weakness that doesn’t impact your current job role and never swank about the strength and skills that you cannot justify.

What do you know about our company and why do you want to work with us.

This is one of the most important questions asked by a hiring manager to understand how much you are aware of the organization where you want to work. Therefore, do the proper research about company structure, hierarchy, and business model and aware of the job description for which you are applying. Also, know the company’s background, values, and other important details.

Would you be willing to relocate if required?

The interviewer asks this to see your flexibility, enthusiasm, and willingness for the job. Therefore, Answer carefully and show your willingness for the job role. 

Do you have any questions for us?

This is the interview closing questions which most of the hiring managers ask this. During the interview, if you have any doubts then you should ask some relevant questions that show you are a confident and focused person who wants clarity for the job.