Posts Tagged ‘jobs’

What are these background checks?

Background checks have been used for years as a way to get the details, either personal or criminal, of future employees for various companies. You have probably had a background check done on you if you have filled out an application and had a job interview anytime in the last few years.

These checks are so common that you might not even know they are happening unless you come right out and ask. But don’t be worried; it’s all public information that is being checked on and anyone with a computer can get that kind of information.

There has been a huge increase in web sites that offer people an easy way to do background checks for a small fee. Some of these sites are so progressive that they can give you all the details you might ever want with just the person’s full name. If you aren’t too sure about the validity of doing an online background check, you can simply go to your county clerk’s office and fill out the papers there. If the person lives in the same local area that you do, it will make the background check all the much quicker.

Background checks can be done for numerous reasons, but they are mostly done by professionals and companies during the hiring process. While there are a few companies, usually small businesses, that don’t ever worry about these checks, they might still have one or two done just in case. This is a good way of weeding out the people that might end up costing them money over the years.

If you have a company that hires delivery drivers, you won’t want someone that has a bunch of DUI tickets on their record. This is a prime example of how background checks can help. There are even companies out there that provide the background checking service for corporations. The companies offer a unique and private way of getting background information on any employee that the corporations insist on having.

This is a great way for these corporations to make sure they are hiring the right people for their company image and standards. You have probably worked for some of these companies at one time or another.

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/human-resources-articles/background-checks-simple-and-effective-2810992.html#ixzz0tdSucsGl
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Offer Acceptance Letter

Even if you have accepted a job over the phone, it’s a good idea to write a job acceptance letter to confirm the details of employment and to formally accept the job offer.

Your letter can be brief  and short but should include the following pointers:

• Thanks and appreciation for the opportunity
• Written acceptance of the job offer
• Starting date of employment

Address the letter to the person who offered you the position. Include your contact information and phone number, even though it is on file with the employer.

Make sure that your letter is well written and does not contain typos or grammatical errors. Even though you already have been offered the job, you want to make sure all your correspondence is professional.

Sample Letter-

As we discussed on the phone, I am very pleased to accept the position of …………….. with ……………. Thank you for the opportunity. I am eager to make a positive contribution to the company and to work with everyone on the Smithfield team.

As discussed earlier , I am comfortable with the compensation package that has been offered to me.

I look forward to starting employment on ………………….

If there is any additional information or paperwork you need prior to then, please let me know.

Again, thank you.

Signature

Tell us about yourself – interview tip

There can be several different ways in which interviewers may throw out questions to their prospective employees. For example, if you are applying for a job in the hospitality sector, there is a good chance that you might be provoked during your job interview. If you are applying for a job in research and development, you will get a series of questions from your prospective employer that would be quite dumbfounding or even funny. Read more on job interview questions and answers.

During the face to face interview however, members of the Human Resource department try and get to know about some of the qualities of the interviewee. A common question that is many a times employed for such a purpose is ‘so tell me about yourself’. Confused and tensed? Here’s how you can answer it.

The tell us about yourself interview question seems simple and also difficult to answer due to the fact that there can be no best answer for tell me about yourself interview question. Your interviewer is not looking for any specific answer but will be observant about the manner in which you shall answer him. Here are some steps with the help of which you can successfully answer this question.

Analyze and Examine: There are several reasons for which the question has been asked. This question is firstly a great ice breaker; secondly it is many a times, asked to test your communication skill and style of communications. Many people start off on the wrong gear by opening their mouths and making the sound ‘aha…’, pal you just lost the job.

Some people might just say something vague like, ‘I don’t know where to start’. Some people also start off with something like ‘my name is…’. Well these are all not very nice starts. Have a crisp and impressive start by telling the HR, something more about your positive aspects such as ‘hard worker, friendly, warm, sincere, long stamina, etc’. Anything that does not go on your interview can be included.

Manners and Body language: The second point that the HR will be looking for is your body language. Hence, maintain a warm and steady eye contact, small gestures, that are polite. Excessive hand gestures seem very bad. Place your hands properly on the arms of chair and never every slouch. Sit with a straight back, shoulders pulled back and have a sense of confidence. A slight and warm smile will also work wonders.

While talking, never lick your lips or teeth as it seems very much out of place. While coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth. If possible avoid coughing and sneezing. Talk in audible and a deep voice and keep your cool no matter what.

Content of Speech: The tell me about yourself question does not end just with one question. That question is often followed by some other questions. In such a situation, give small, quick and discrete answers. Be polite and warm in your approach, give only the relevant content in a grammatically correct language and good pronunciation.

The tell me about yourself interview question seems quite easy. It is important that you answer truthfully, quickly, honestly and in a manner that is definitely impressive. Avoid blunders and do not lose your confidence. Remember that losing your confidence, means losing the job.

Tell me about yourself ?

Start with the present and tell why you are well qualified for the position. Remember that the key to all successful interviewing is to match your qualifications to what the interviewer is looking for. In other words you must sell what the buyer is buying. This is the single most important strategy in job hunting.

So, before you answer this or any question it’s imperative that you try to uncover your interviewer’s greatest need, want, problem or goal.

Do all the homework you can before the hr interview to uncover this person’s wants and needs (not the generalized needs of the industry or company)

As early as you can in the interview, ask for a more complete description of what the position entails. You might say: “I have a number of accomplishments I’d like to tell you about, but I want to make the best use of our time together and talk directly to your needs. To help me do, that, could you tell me more about the most important priorities of this position?

Then, ALWAYS follow-up with a second and possibly, third question, to draw out his needs even more. Surprisingly, it’s usually this second or third question that unearths what the interviewer is most looking for.

You might ask simply, “And in addition to that?…” or, “Is there anything else you see as essential to success in this position?:

This process will not feel easy or natural at first, because it is easier simply to answer questions, but only if you uncover the employer’s wants and needs will your answers make the most sense. Practice asking these key interview questions before giving your answers, the process will feel more natural and you will be light years ahead of the other job candidates you’re competing with.

After uncovering what the employer is looking for, describe why the needs of this job bear striking parallels to tasks you’ve succeeded at before. Be sure to illustrate with specific examples of your responsibilities and especially your achievements, all of which are geared to present yourself as a perfect match for the needs he has just described.

What are your greatest strengths? You know that your key strategy is to first uncover your interviewer’s greatest wants and needs before you answer questions. And from Question 1, you know how to do this. Prior to any interview, you should have a list mentally prepared of your greatest strengths. You should also have, a specific example or two, which illustrates each strength, an example chosen from your most recent and most impressive achievements.

You should, have this list of your greatest strengths and corresponding examples from your achievements so well committed to memory that you can recite them cold after being shaken awake from your deepest lumber. Once you uncover your interviewer’s greatest wants and needs, you can choose those achievements from your list that best match up.

As a general guideline, the 10 most desirable traits that all employers love to see in their employees are:

• A proven track record as an achiever…especially if your achievements match up with the employer’s greatest wants and needs.
• a perfectly and customized resume for the job you are applying
• Intelligence…management “savvy”.
• Honesty…integrity…a decent human being.
• Good fit with corporate culture…someone to feel comfortable with…a team player who meshes well with interviewer’s team.
• Likability…positive attitude…sense of humor.
• Good communication skills.
• Dedication…willingness to walk the extra mile to achieve excellence.
• Definiteness of purpose…clear goals.
• Enthusiasm…high level of motivation.
• Confident…healthy…a leader.

What are your greatest weaknesses ? Disguise a strength as a weakness. “I sometimes push my people too hard. I like to work with a sense of urgency and everyone is not always on the same wavelength.”
Drawback: This strategy is better than admitting a flaw, but it’s so widely used, it is transparent to any experienced interviewer.

Assure the interviewer that you can think of nothing that would stand in the way of your performing in this position with excellence. Then, quickly review you strongest qualifications.

Instead of confessing a weakness, describe what you like most and like least, making sure that what you like most matches up with the most important qualification for success in the position, and what you like least is not essential.