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  • Interview nerves? How to calm yourself before an interview

     

    Image ©iStockphoto.com/PeskyMonkey

    Of course you’ll be nervous – it’s an interview! Accepting that you will be nervous allows you to work on some strategies to help before and during the interview.

    The Pen is Mightier… I find that many people are helped by the act of writing. I suspect that it’s the act of writing as well as what you write. What to write? If you are nervous about forgetting something, write down a list of what you need. If you are nervous about certain interview questions, then write out your answers. You won’t deliver them exactly as you write, but you will remember most of what you write. If you are nervous about certain behaviors (talking too fast, giggling, not smiling), then in the corner of a piece of paper write a coded symbol that reminds you to smile, listen, etc.. If you are waiting outside of the interviewer’s office, write a thank-you to the interviewer in advance. Writing that thank-you allow you to focus on the successful outcome of the interview. You will drop off the thank-you as you leave the interview and appear well-organised.

    Help someone else. If you need to practice for an interview, find someone else who needs to practice. Use your new partner to practice with and seek opportunities to offer advice. When you realise that your problems are similar and normal, you will relax. Although you may face similar challenges and concerns, you will find it much easier to solve their problems than yours. Along the way you’ll get insights into your own challenges.

    Be your own third party. Even if you don’t have a buddy to work with, consider pretending that you do. Take a look at your situation and ask: “If I were someone else what would I do?” This technique is particularly powerful if you identify someone you feel handles these situations well. If you know that “Bob” is always good at discussing his career, then imagine how “Bob” might handle a tough interview question.

    Find your “peaceful place”. Before an interview consider the place you’ve always felt safe and relaxed and happy. Practice seeing yourself in this place. When you get nervous picture yourself again in this place.

    Concentrate on a detail around you. Nervous people relax when their attention is diverted, so this is a good waiting room strategy. That’s partly why doctors’ offices have magazines. But you can find an interesting painting to look at, or window to study the clouds outside. Focus on details and try to memorise what you see.

    Ask questions. During an interview if you ask questions the interview will become more comfortable for both you and the interviewer. Have a few questions prepared for the interviewer, “How long have you worked here?” Making an interview into a conversation allows you to feel the normal comfortable rhythm of conversation.

    Nervousness is normal. Accept that your nerves might help you stay energised. Then, use simple strategies to manage the stress level.

    I’d love to hear from you! For many more ideas about getting and keeping a job that you love, check out my book: Make Me an Offer I Can’t Refuse is available at Amazon.

    Article Source: Interview Nerves? How to Calm Yourself Before an Interview

  • Dress for success: tips for job interviews

     

    Image ©iStockphoto.com/YanLev

    We are all familiar with the adage “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. It is true that appearance is ultimately superfluous, but there is no escaping the fact that it has an effect, especially initially.

    In a job interview situation, the way you present yourself is an important factor in the overall impression you portray. You could be responding brilliantly to their questions, but if your interviewer is distracted by the birds nest on your head and the evidence of lunch around your mouth, your efforts will be futile. The reality of the matter is that if a person looks as if they take care of themselves, they convey the subliminal message that they are more likely to take care in other areas of their life, including their job. Here are a few basic guidelines for ensuring you present yourself favourably.

    It may seem an obvious point, but it is important that you dress appropriately. Not all jobs will call for a suit-and-tie get-up everyday, but it is always best to err on the smart side on first introduction. If you look well put together, you give the impression that you take yourself seriously – not in a negative way, but in an I-can-be-relied-upon way (always helpful when you are trying to convince someone to give you a job). It is best to lean towards simple items of clothing with clean-cut lines. Avoid garish prints and shapes, outrageous colours and anything too fussy. T-shirts with contentious slogans are an absolute no-no. Basically, you don’t want anything you’re wearing to be a distraction for your interviewer. Think of your clothes as a frame and yourself as the picture: the frame can be attractive and understated, but its function is ultimately to draw attention to the brilliance of the picture: you, in other words. That is not to say, however, that you should dispel with your individuality completely. A couple of discreetly placed accessories can hint at personality and add interest.

    Secondly, make you what you are wearing is comfortable. It is no secret that clothes enhance the way you feel in any given situation; if you are heavily constricted, and in pain from that darn seam digging in, you are more likely to be flustered and thrown into a state of anxiety. If you are physically comfortable when interviewing for jobs you will be more inclined to feel at ease and more able to focus on the job interview questions being thrown at you.

    Your pre-job interview grooming should, of course, extend beyond what you are wearing. It is no good turning up in a bespoke, beautifully tailored masterpiece if your face and hair still make it look like you spent last night sleeping in ditch. Make sure your hair looks tidy and is away from your face: not only does good facial exposure allow for heightened expressivity, but constantly flicking wayward strands of hair from your eyes will eventually become very irritating for both for you and your interviewer.

    For the women, if you are wearing make up, it is important to not go overboard. Just as you should shy away from wearing clothes with excessively bold colours, so should you avoid putting said colours on your face. It all goes back to the being taken seriously issue: if the amount of blusher you have on makes you look like a clown, your interviewer may be inclined to treat you as such. In case of doubt, a couple of coats of mascara, a dab of concealer in crucial areas and a lick of a neutral lipstick will serve to make you look fresh-faced and groomed.

    With sensible dressing, a quick sprucing up, and of course a wealth of perfectly-prepared interview questions responses, you are sure to come across as an exemplary candidate in any job interview, hopefully enabling you to make the job a good’un!

    Article Source: articlesbase.com

    About the Author

    Xanthe Kershaw is a staff writer for VCCP Search and writes articles on careers and jobs for http://www.totaljobs.com, a leading UK Job site.

  • CV review time: is your CV too vague?

     

    Image ©iStock.com/peepo

    By Claire B.

    If you have a vague, non-specific CV then it might be time for a quick CV review, as these are fast becoming the bane of employers and recruiters’ working lives.

    Normally these CVs can be spotted a mile off; all the right skills and achievements are included but none of them really go into any real detail. The CV contains few examples and there’s a general sense of hollowness about the whole document. It’s as though the CV is full of words, yet nothing is really being said.

    Not the best way to impress a potential new employer.

    A vague CV says to an employer that the applicant either has poor communication skills, has something to hide, or is just plain lazy. Perhaps all of the above.

    Conduct your own CV review – and be honest

    Obviously most jobseekers are not lying about their work history or too lazy to write a more detailed CV – they just can’t remember what the details are anymore. If you simply can’t remember all of the different roles you’ve fulfilled and skills you’ve honed then it’s understandable really.

    After holding a job for a number of years, if you’re suddenly looking for a new position and it’s time to update that old CV it can be tough. If you haven’t updated it for a while it may well be difficult trying to recall all of your achievements and accomplishments. You know you were very busy in your previous roles and you know you were doing great work, it’s just that you can’t remember the exact details.

    And as any recruiter will tell you, it’s the details that matter.

    So you rewrite your CV without fleshing it out with any detail and it reads like a vague list of imaginary skills. It shows no personality, no uniqueness and no detail.

    So what can you do about a vague CV?

    Well, particularly in the current employment market, a small proportion of clever folk are keeping one step ahead at all times by updating their CV every few months or so. They’re conducting their own CV review. Just thirty minutes is all they need to review their recent projects, challenges and achievements and review and update their CVs accordingly.

    There’s no excuse – make time to do this and stick to it. You’ll feel far more confident about your skills and your accomplishments, plus future employers won’t be put off by a bland, vague and boring CV.

    Claire Brown has been in recruitment for 10 years and works for The CV Site – a professional CV writing site. The CV Site reviews CVs for free and makes suggestions on both content and layout. To get a free ‘The CV Site’ review go to http://www.thecvsite.co.uk or call them on 0845 094 1950.

    Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?CV-Review-Time:-Is-Your-CV-Too-Vague?&id=7881826

  • Boost client numbers and build loyalty with Purina

    corgi-beach-legsPURINA PETCARE, maker of Purina Veterinary Diets, has announced the details of its exciting new Purina Partners Programme.

    Dedicated to the veterinary industry, the programme is aimed at helping practices make the most of their business – ultimately through maintaining strong client relationships and providing the best all-round care for pets.

    The Purina Partners Programme combines a practice’s clinical excellence with Purina’s passion for pets, giving veterinary surgeons the chance to be the best in their local area. There is no risk or financial commitment required as the programme is wholly funded by Purina. The only prerequisite is to recommend Purina diets as first choice.

    Purina seeks to use the programme to help build a long-term relationship with veterinary practices, which should help them to have:

    • healthy, happy pets and loyal, delighted clients;
    • increased revenues and incremental sales;
    • increased awareness among pet owners of the clinic, leading to recommendations; and
    • shared expertise and motivated staff.

    For members of the partners programme, Purina provides a comprehensive set of initiatives tailored to each individual clinic and these are based on four key platforms: Clinic+, Client+, Knowledge+ and Food+.

    boy-dogChris Nickson, senior brand manager of Purina Vet Channel, said: “As a partner, practices will work with a dedicated Purina representative who will develop and implement a tailored business plan that is perfectly suited to the clinic and its clients. The programme is designed to be completely flexible, allowing vets to select and tailor elements to suit themselves.”

    Each of the initiatives – Clinic+, Client+, Knowledge+ and Food+ – has specific business development aims.

    Clinic+

    Understanding how a practice looks and feels through the eyes of clients and their pets will lead to the optimum solution for layout, design and merchandising that complements the existing clinic brand. Implementing the guidelines offered by Purina through Clinic+ could help practice owners benefit from:

    • improved client experience beyond consultation;
    • enhanced aesthetics of the clinic;
    • increased clinic awareness through more consistent branding; and
    • greater levels of client bonding.

    Mr Nickson comments: “First impressions really do count, so it’s important to get the look and feel of the practice right. The Clinic+ section of the partners programme covers design, merchandising and how to maximise a practice’s existing brand.”

    Client+

    Creating mutually beneficial relationships between the practice and pet owner helps turn owners into loyal clients. Following the Client+ advice may lead to increased client visits with regular purchasing of pet food, treatment and accessories from the practice. It may also help boost client numbers through word-of-mouth recommendations from happy pet owners. Finally, loyalty is proven to improve through strengthened relationships with clients.

    Mr Nickson adds: “Word-of-mouth recommendations are really the gold standard in terms of boosting client numbers. These won’t be forthcoming unless a practice provides the very best care for pets. Purina Partners’ experts will assess a practice to see where it might be falling down in this area and help optimise the pet owner experience.”

    Knowledge+

    cat-kiss-pppInvesting time and money in continuing professional development (CPD) for staff is fundamental in maintaining best practice. Through Knowledge+ a business could benefit from:

    • ongoing technical support from a dedicated Purina representative;
    • access to the extensive nutritional research by Purina; and
    • improved team motivation (staff working together with a common aim).

    Mr Nickson continues: “As well as keeping up to date with staff CPD, it’s important to keep abreast of local and global trends in the veterinary profession. Of course, this can be costly for a practice. Purina has the ability to provide practices with the latest insights from the veterinary world free of charge, so they can utilise these in their clinic.”

    Food+

    Maximising food sales at a practice is a proven way to increase turnover and profitability. Ways to boost sales range from providing product samples and brochures, to kitten and puppy packs, and displaying point-of-sale materials. A Purina representative will guide practice owners through the best solutions for an individual clinic.

    Taking on board the Food+ advice could mean a practice can experience:

    • increased sales of diets – both maintenance and veterinary – boosting clinic profits;
    • improved patient well-being through high quality nutrition;
    • access to special promotions and offers from Purina; and
    • partnership with a leading nutritional expert.

    Mr Nickson adds: “Purina Veterinary Diets are backed by decades of scientific research, providing vets with the confidence to recommend a specific formula to clients. Through the Purina Partners Programme we will pass on our comprehensive consumer understanding and sales and marketing expertise to help a practice boost client numbers, gain happy pet owners and, as a result, increase word-of-mouth recommendations.”

    kitten-finger-pppThings to consider

    How many of your clients are recommending you to other pet owners?
    The partners programme will help optimise the pet owner experience at your clinic, boosting client recommendations.

    How many of your clients also use other clinics?
    Bespoke initiatives from Purina, tailored to the specific needs and objectives of your business, will build loyalty and drive footfall.

    Are you ready for the challenges of the future?
    The Purina Partners Programme delivers significant benefits that will help drive growth, attract new clients and boost turnover for your business.

    Purina and Purina Veterinary Diets are registered trademarks of Société des Produits Nestlé S A
    Purina and Purina Veterinary Diets are registered trademarks of Société des Produits Nestlé S A

    Mr Nickson concludes: “With absolutely no financial outlay, and the opportunity to help increase client numbers and profitability, the Purina Partners Programme provides practice managers with a win-win solution.”

    To sign up for the Purina Partners Programme, call the Purina Petcare team on 0800 212 161.

  • Money makes the world go around…

    Fifty pound note
    Do you see many of these?

    …unless you’re a member of the veterinary professions according to the latest edition of the SPVS Salaries Survey, which has revealed “an overall dip” in vets’ pay packets.

    The figures – which cover the whole salary package, including accommodation, company cars and CPD (when provided) – are particularly disappointing for small animal practitioners, revealing that the only vets to see any increase in wage since 2012 are those in mixed and large animal practice. However, salaries for these vets are still lower overall than they were in 2010.

    Veterinary nurses fared slightly better, with the average RVN salary continuing to rise over the past year, in marked contrast to veterinary surgeon wages. However, the average RVN salary – now at £20,208 – is still more than £6,000 behind the national UK average of £26,500.

    Commenting on the incongruity of the results, SPVS spokesman Peter Brown speculated that demographic differences in the two professions (more vets entering the UK market, compared to a paucity of RVNs) could be behind the stronger nursing trend – something the profession should be particularly aware of with new vet schools set to open.

  • Petitions, petitions, petitions

    e-petition
    Brian May’s “Stop the badger cull” e-petition

    The online petition calling on the Government to “stop the badger cull” – launched in autumn 2012 by Queen guitarist Brian May – finally closed on September 7, having collected a grand total of 303,771 (ish) signatures.

    We say “ish” because, due to the nature of the online signing process, additional signatures are continuing to dribble in day by day. In fact, the last 24 hours has seen the “final figure” rise by another 100.

    [Editor’s note: as of September 23, the count stands at 304,027 signatures]

    Whatever the actual final figure, this e-petition smashed all records: on launch, it received the number of signatures required to have it considered for debate in the House of Commons in just two weeks; it then went on to more than triple that figure, making it the biggest ever on the Government’s website – beating “Convicted London rioters should loose (sic) all benefits” into second position.

    Bearing in mind only 21 out of 23,134 successful petitions (0.09%) launched on the website have succeeded in achieving the required number to be considered for debate, this truly does show the strength of feeling on the subject.

    But will it make a difference? Who knows? MPs initially voted against culling in October 2012, yet environment minister Owen Paterson is fully behind the trials and seems determined to see them through – although he should beware, another e-petition currently online is entitled simply: “We call on Owen Paterson to be replaced from his position as Secretary for the Environment”. [2,808 signatures]

    One other petition of interest to us at the moment is one yet to achieve the full complement of signatures required. Currently sitting at 71,430, celebrity vet Marc Abraham’s e-petition to “Ban the sale of young puppies & kittens without their mothers being present” needs a hand to achieve its quota, so please do think about signing to help end the cruel practice of puppy/kitten farming in the UK.

    But if you need more of a reason to sign, check out the amusing viral video below. Launched by Pup Aid to promote the puppy petition, the short film stars comedian Mark Heap (Spaced, Green Wing) and follows the humorous exploits of Philip the dog when his owner pops out to buy milk…

  • And so it begins…

    And so it begins…

    badger
    Original image ©iStockphoto.com/ChrisCrafter

    After months of speculation about when the trial badger culls would begin, the fateful moment finally arrived on August 27 when marksmen armed with high velocity rifles stepped into fields throughout Somerset.

    In a letter to NFU members, president Peter Kendall called the pilots – which will see around5,000 badgers in Somerset and Gloucestershire culled over the next six weeks in an attempt to control bovine TB – “an important step” for both cattle farmers and the entire farming industry.

    But not everybody sees it that way – and you can’t seem to turn on the television or open a web browser without being deluged with outpourings of grief and outrage sparked by the unnecessary deaths of these “beautiful creatures”; while the mainstream media is filled with the ire of organisations like the RSPCA, social media streams have become clogged withcountless pictures of tiny badger cubs and pleas to sign yet another petition to “stop the cull NOW!!!”

    Unfortunately, however much this outrage is sparked by those supposedly “in the know”, the true torchbearers in this campaign are those who do not truly understand the plight of UK farmers and their cattle, but simply find the thought of killing a fluffy creature abhorrent.

    “Vaccinate cattle” they say, unaware that such a solution is at least a decade away. “Culling won’t work” they say, ignoring the fact that ministers wouldn’t even consider this option if they knew for a fact that this was true (or would they?).

    But too many of those who beg for the lives of the Government’s black and white adversaries do so with no real knowledge of the situation other than what they’ve heard on Twitter or Facebook – and what chance do rhyme and reason have against cutesy badger pictures or morality-rousing internet memes featuring Bill Oddie?

  • Who’s afraid of the big bad dog?

    Who’s afraid of the big bad dog?

    Status dog, or just misunderstood?
    Status dog, or just misunderstood?

    If recent genetic studies are to be believed, domestic dogs evolved from wolves around 11,000 years ago when our ancestors stole wolf cubs, domesticated them and trained them to help hunt for food.

    However, other than their shared genealogy, both animals are very different nowadays – particularly when it comes to temperament. The wolf is in every sense a “wild” animal, while the dog is obviously far more suited for the domesticated life of chasing sticks and tummy rubs.

    Despite this, media reports of dog attacks, combined with the trend among certain elements of society to own vicious “status dogs”, have led to a situation where many Brits are afraid of strange dogs and people are becoming increasingly wary of our canine companions in general.

    A poll of more than 1,000 adults (commissioned by behaviour product supplier The Company of Animals) found that 71% of people are nervous around dogs they don’t know, while more than half (54%) are worried by particular breeds.

    Around 20% also admitted to having become more afraid of dogs over the past decade.

    This news comes as a shock, and it would be a huge shame if man’s best friend was to slowly find himself usurped by the cat, spelling an end to walkies as we know it and guaranteeing you’ll only ever get your stick back if you retrieve it yourself.

    Mind you, we can but wonder what a “status llama” might look like.

  • Things aren’t always black and white

    Things aren’t always black and white

    Badger
    Image ©iStockphoto.com/Freder

    The RSPCA revealed this week that an e-petition against the Government’s badger cull had achieved a “record number of signatures“, with more than 260,000 people (and counting…) signing up to protest against the shooting of badgers as a way of combating bovine TB.

    This huge figure makes “Stop the Badger Cull” the best supported petition of its kind – although that’s not particularly surprising, particularly when you bear in mind the emotive aspect of the subject matter, the active support of numerous popular celebrities and plenty of prime-time coverage for the cause (including BBC’s The One Show).

    However, it’s probably fair to say that the majority of those signatories were not persuaded into it through the use of indisputable facts and figures – mainly because such figures do not exist. If they did, Defra wouldn’t consider killing badgers in the first place, would it?

    This problem has been ongoing for years, during which time UK cattle farmers have had to jump through hoops (slaughtering livestock, introducing improved cattle controls, improving biosecurity and participating in pre-movement testing) while the Government “ummed and ahhed” over culling badgers for fear of public backlash.

    So, now Defra has finally found the backbone to agree to these pilot culls, wouldn’t it be counterproductive to allow a petition (however big) to put a stop to it?

    Yes, this petition’s figures are impressive. But if you want to be fair then you should also note the NFU’s YouGov poll from May 2013, which showed that only 34% of people surveyed were opposed to a badger cull – 27% of whom would change their minds if it stopped bTB from spreading to other areas of the UK.

    Extrapolating, that means 66% of the British public either support (29%), don’t know (22%) or have no strong feelings (15%) about a cull – the equivalent of a petition with more than half a million signatures (504,705).

    But the guitarist from Queen isn’t promoting that petition, is he?

  • Too many graduates, not enough jobs?

    Too many graduates, not enough jobs?

    Graduates
    The increasing number of veterinary graduates has had “little impact” on job prospects, survey claims.

    No doubt spurred on by a survey carried out by the Institute of Employment Studies (on behalf of the RCVS), this last week has seen an interesting focus on the availability of jobs within the veterinary profession.

    Curiously enough, the survey seems to show that the increasing number of graduates over the past few years has had “little impact” on job prospects. In fact, it shows that an average of 94% of graduates seeking a role in clinical practice found work within six months.

    Surprisingly, this figure did not change significantly over the five years under consideration, despite UK graduate numbers increasing by around a quarter in the same period. It did take them slightly longer to secure a post, but they still got there!

    Mind you, the situation changes rather dramatically if you want to work with horses. Results of a second survey revealed by (who else?) BEVA suggests there may be up to five times as many graduates wanting to work in equine practice as there are jobs available.

    Overall, however, results of the RCVS survey may slightly allay the fears of current vet students and recent graduates. But you can’t help but wonder what the situation will be like for those looking for employment when Surrey lets its first cohort loose on the veterinary job market.

    Plus, with the BVA citing rumours of even more new veterinary schools on the horizon, the future of veterinary employment does start to look a lot less certain.