While personal information is asked casually during a job interview in some countries, there are others that prohibit such. In the United States, for instance, federal and state laws don’t allow employers to ask questions that are irrelevant to the job being applied for by the applicants. These questions are designed to find out personal information and are seen as discriminating.
If you ever encounter a hiring manager that asks about your race, color, sex, religion, nationality, age disability or marital status, especially if he is in the United States, you may file a claim for discrimination. But before taking such a harsh action, investigate first. It could just be that the hiring manager is ignorant of the law or the intent is really not to discriminate but to find out about your capacities as a worker. If the hiring manager is discriminating on purpose, then that’s the time that you should consult an attorney for proper legal action.
by catherine s.
If the person who is responsible in conducting online job interviews usually raises questions, the applicant also has the right to ask queries about the job. Though the interviewer will discuss important details about the job, it is also the job of the applicant to ask some questions to make everything run smoothly in the actual job phase. It is alright to ask questions but make sure that it will not offend or discourage the interviewer in hiring the applicant. Applicants should be polite enough to ask questions they have in mind. It is known for a fact that the interviewers or hiring representatives are paying particular attention to professionalism, so applicants may also observe this in asking queries about some details that they want to discuss. On the other hand, one of the questions that should not be asked by the applicant is about the compensation because it will soon be discussed in the later part if the company is interested to hire the applicant. The applicant should wait for the person responsible about such topic to raise the said topic for courteousness purpose.
31 March 2008
by: Administrator

In my previous topic of informational interview which I had divided into two succeeding posts (part one and part two), I have shared my knowledge about why informational interview helps a job seeker understand the industry where he could be a part of in due time. Gradually, it will help him find his own place within his career field.
By learning the basics, a job seeker could easily start adopting informational interview as a powerful tool in gaining a competitive edge in his search for employment and eventually, career. All he needs to do is start from the beginning and use the available traditional and online resources to his advantage.
Here is an informational interview tutorial from QuintCareers.com to point you in the right direction.
21 March 2008
by: Administrator

An informational interview happens when a job seeker talks to someone working within his career field to get a better understanding of the industry and how it works. The job seeker’s job search success depends on how he will be able to relate to the job he is applying for. An informational interview substantially fills that need.
More than that, an informational interview helps build a network of professional contacts all working within the same career field. It fosters strong networking relationships because the process is replicated over time with the coming of new batches of job seekers wanting to learn the tricks of the game called career.
17 March 2008
by: Administrator

Most, if not all of us, are familiar with a job interview. This interview is an integral part of the hiring process. But how about informational interview? What kind of interview is it? Does it affect a person’s job search, or his career path for that matter? Should a job seeker learn it? If yes, why?
Just like in a job interview, an informational interview is a kind of interview where information is acquired by the interviewer from the interviewee. However, it is not mutually beneficial like the job interview where the company gains an employee and the job seeker lands a job. (to be concluded
29 February 2008
by: editor
by: Christine Zafra

The last thing that the employers would like to hear from their applicants is that of someone boasting about his/her accomplishments/abilities. There is a thin line between being a “show off” and being realistic. If you really do have those kinds of accomplishments/abilities, then tell your employer about it modestly. Remember, that you are no superman, so bragging about things like “I have been this and that, I can do this and that” will not merit you any points. Always remember to be yourself during those dreaded interviews. Employers are wary that this kind of attitude of yours might spark some office clash in the future.
Photo taken from http://www.cartoonstock.com