An interview Success Story

"An interview success story" by executivevoice on audioboo.fm

Shared via AddThis

Secrets of successful job hunting

Learn the secrets of successful job hunting with ‘Beat the Job Crunch’

Beat the Job Crunch and take control of your career success with a one day workshop in central London on 24th September, 2009.

Given the continued challenges experienced and well qualified professionals are having finding work after having been made redundant this one day workshop will empower these individuals to have the edge in their job search.

Delegates will learn to maximise their personal assets: experiences and how to present themselves to make the best possible impact on potential employers during the whole process of searching for, applying and being interviewed for a job.

The one day workshop includes:
Planning for success – strategies for planning your job search
Writing a winning CV
Strategies for answering difficult questions in the interview
Handling tests and assessments
Sharpening your personal image
Developing personal confidence and convincing vocal projection
Secrets of using networking for success
Personal coaching to develop your courage in job searching.

Led by Penny Sophocleus and Ros Morris, the course is run by 5 leading experts in the fields of Career Development, executive coaching, HR and assessment selection processes, Image consultant and Vocal and Communications training.

More detailed information is on www.corpalc.com/beatthecrunch
For media details and information including photographs contact Penny Sophocleus: penny@corpalc.com 01707 871

My perfect day - on Oxwich Bay

I’ve just returned from a walk on Oxwich Bay on the Gower Peninsula. There are only half a dozen other people on the beach: some with dogs. The day trippers have left; a couple of barbeques are smoking – used and abandoned next to dustbins, but otherwise the beautiful expanse of Oxwich Bay is deserted.

The tide is coming in, yet there is a vast expanse of sand stretching from Oxwich village and the hotel, all the way round to Three Cliffs Bay and beyond. Over the sea I can clearly make out Port Talbot, the Vale of Glamorgan and on the other side, the Devon Coastline.

To my left are the sand dunes. A large cloud of starlings fly across the marshes. During the day, the sand dunes are great fun to explore with a wide range of beautiful fauna. There is one area; ‘The board walk’ where you can walk over marshland and see rare flowers. Whenever I’m down in Oxwich I visit it.

The sand gives clues of what has happened today. Lovingly built sandcastles, volcanoes and even sand ‘boats’ remain in the sand, as well as forgotten buckets and spades. Sadly there is some litter, but one hopes this will be cleaned in the morning. The sand is fine and easy to build castles.

Earlier on today we were down at the beach. The car park was packed with visitors for the day as well as people holidaying at the camp site. Most people were close to the car park; others ventured further towards Nicholaston: either on the beach or in the sand dunes.

We swam; built sandcastles and snorkelled with our new flippers and masks! We saw a number of fish in the clear seawater. Others swam, kayaked or surfed – although the waves were non-existent! My husband hired a boat from the Sailing Company and sailed over to Three Cliffs Bay, whilst a couple of people annoyed everyone by riding their jetskis too close to the bathers.

As the day progresses and the tide goes out, a number of cricket games start, as well as one hugely competitive beach volleyball game. On the far side of the bay, the rocks are exposed and children with buckets do some rock pool dipping and find impressive specimens of crabs.
Now, as I walk back from the beach, I see that the car park is deserted, except for a bat flying in front of my face. I am so lucky here. As I walk back to my house, I realise that although the forecast is overcast tomorrow, I am still here in Oxwich and will be able to enjoy another wonderful day.

For more information on visiting Wales http://www.visitwales.com

MOre information on Executive voice http://www.executivevoice.co.uk

Engaging people when you speak to them

At the weekend I had something horrifying happen to me. My husband had told me he needed to leave the house to go to Heathrow to wave off his relatives,who were returning to Australia.
Unfortunately I didn't 'hear' this when he told me, and I was swimming. He was forced to leave late - taking our son too. The consequence was that he missed seeing them.
I felt dreadful about this, but it also enabled me to really consider why this method of communication went so wrong. Although my husband had spoken to me (I don't doubt him), he has a tendency to 'talk at' people. The problem with this is that he assumes you have heard without checking that you are 'engaged' in the conversation. He doesn't register whether or not I am listening. This is also a problem with colleagues at work.
In order that a conversation is two way - speaker and listener, we need to have a check list. This could be.

• Asking - "Is this a good time to speak?"
• Watching - is the body language mirroring yours or at least indicating they are taking note of you. (Clues could be eye contact; moving their body to face yours).
• Stopping activities; check the listener has stopped what they were doing. So if they were watching the television; cooking; on a computer, that their attention is now focused on you and what you have to say.
• Check that they have understood what you have said.
• As a precaution, repeat what you say the next day.

For more advice please go to http://www.executivevoice.co.uk

Interviews: a success story

This week I received some wonderful news from one of my clients who had gone for an interview within an industry heavily hit by the credit crunch. It was a high powered: prestigious post, and he'd been offered it.

Before he went for the interview, I worked with him on the interview, to ensure he presented himself in the best possible light.

The interview was approached as a performance; with my client preparing himself prior to the interview to ensure he presented himself in the best possible light. Here are some of the activities we planned together and he did ensuring he was rewarded with the job.

• He visited the company beforehand, checking his journey to ensure he was early for the interview; planning for the eventuality of any journey problems.
• He did a lot of research on the company prior to the interview
• He collected examples of his work to take in a well presented portfolio, to illustrate his experience. He chose projects that were related to the position he was being interviewed for and also projects that were similar to work the company did.
• He researched the people he was going to be interviewed by and anticipated questions they might ask based on their experiences.
• Through his network, he was able to speak to 2 ex-employees of the company who were in similar departments. From this he was able to understand the structure and culture of the company.
• He also checked on their dress code and dressed to 'suit' the culture of the company.
• He set off early; drinking water 2 hours before, to ensure he wasn't dehydrated.
• He arrived early at the location of the interview; giving him time to relax, warm up and focus.
• Whilst preparing, he kept focusing on what he had done; what he could do, NOT what he didn't have experience in.

Executive Voice are involved in a one day Interview Skills workshop on 24th September in Central London called "Beat the Job Crunch". More details from http://www.corpalc.com/beatthecrunch/

More details or discuss your interview skills and performance http://www.executivevoice.co.uk