10 Resources for Job Seekers RIGHT NOW

10 Resources for Job Seekers RIGHT NOW I wrote this for some Yahoo Groups Im on, and thought it would be a great resource for you.   If you have any resources to add, please leave a comment. Here are 10 resources Id offer up to those in a job search RIGHT NOW, and those who are concerned about future/looming/pending transitions: JibberJobber.com. Yeah, thats my site, and its self-serving for me to put it first.   Understand its a freemium site, which means you can have a free account for life, and optionally upgrade, and many people get value out of the free side.   JibberJobber replaces the spreadsheet and spiral notebook you are using to manage and organize your job search, allowing you to get long-term value out of all of the data you are collecting in your job search.   Plus, once you land your job, you can (should) continue to use it to manage your relationships in a way you cant on LinkedIn.   It is NOT a social network, rather a complement to your social networking strategy. Indeed or SimplyHired. These are the two biggest job board aggregators.   Instead of searching through dozens or hundreds of job boards, go to one of these two to see whats being posted almost everywhere. Realize, though, that your job board strategy should be a SMALL part of your job search strategy, assuming that many jobs posted might already be filled, or youll have hundreds of resumes you are competing against.   Also, a strong job board strategy includes checking boards that are niche (profession or industry) or geography not just ONE board. Professional help. Seriously, consider getting a coach and/or resume writer.   There are a number of job search coaches and resume writers I partner with who can help you.   You can also go to CareerDirectors.com and some other industry sites to look for certified career professionals.   If you make $x,xxx per month, how much are you losing as your job search goes forward?   I lost tens of thousands of dollars because I didnt bring in help, and spent my time on the wrong path in my job search. LinkedIn, of course. If you have to choose ONE social environment for your job search, its LinkedIn.   My second edition of Im on LinkedIn Now What??? has more information for job seekers, including a 10 point list on using LinkedIn for job seekers.   If you arent getting value out of LinkedIn, you are doing something wrong.   And stay tuned for info on the second edition. Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters. This is Dave Perrys book.   This book is a MUST READ, and will help you expand your vision of what you could and should be doing.   Another excellent book, if you feel like you were thrown under the bus, is We Got Fired, by Harvey Mackay.   I am almost done with this book and have found it to be extremely therapeutic (maybe Ill get this chip off my shoulder after all :p). Develop a network of recruiters who you can ask hard questions to.   These arent recruiters to find you jobs, rather recruiters who you can ask this just happened with this other recruiter, or company, what does it mean?   and why isnt my resume getting me interviews?   This is a network friend who can help you understand the process. Looking for company opportunities or key people to network into? Go to search.twitter.com and search for company names.   I bet 9 out of 10 times you wont find what you are looking for, but that 1 time might be gold, and it only takes a few minutes.   You dont need an account just go to that website.   This is also a great place for market research, salespeople, etc.   Also, same principle applies to blogsearch.google.com, to find players in your industry or profession. CareerHub blog there are dozens of career coaches who blog there and they help you understand stuff you should be thinking about, whether its career management or job search. A good understanding of the impact of being wounded. I think its CRITICAL to not come across as a wounded animal in your job search.   Bitter, depressed, etc.   will have a negative impact on your outcome.   Im not saying you cant have feelings, of course, but you need to figure out how to pull yourself together and become the professional you are. An HR professional told me, early in my job search, because I was pouting (we were/are friends) Jason, HR can smell blood a mile away.   He was telling me to be very careful about how I came across in my networking, even to good friends.   You can read more here: http://www.jibberjobber.com/blog/2006/10/11/i-smell-blood JibberJobber One Thing a few weeks ago I set up a Yahoo Group and started to send ONE email each day giving you an ACTIONABLE item that can be done in just a few minutes.   I dont want to overwhelm anyone (myself included!), but if you want to get a daily nudge, this has turned out to be a fun nudger   Sign up here. Im so passionate about career management, and being the CEO of Me, Inc, that I could just scream it from the rooftops.   I plead with you, whether you are in a job search or not, whether you own your own business (like me) or not, to seriously take control of your own career, and start doing this stuff ON PURPOSE! Go back to #1 above (JibberJobber), get signed up for a free account, and then start working on the rest of this list ON PURPOSE! 10 Resources for Job Seekers RIGHT NOW I wrote this for some Yahoo Groups Im on, and thought it would be a great resource for you.   If you have any resources to add, please leave a comment. Here are 10 resources Id offer up to those in a job search RIGHT NOW, and those who are concerned about future/looming/pending transitions: JibberJobber.com. Yeah, thats my site, and its self-serving for me to put it first.   Understand its a freemium site, which means you can have a free account for life, and optionally upgrade, and many people get value out of the free side.   JibberJobber replaces the spreadsheet and spiral notebook you are using to manage and organize your job search, allowing you to get long-term value out of all of the data you are collecting in your job search.   Plus, once you land your job, you can (should) continue to use it to manage your relationships in a way you cant on LinkedIn.   It is NOT a social network, rather a complement to your social networking strategy. Indeed or SimplyHired. These are the two biggest job board aggregators.   Instead of searching through dozens or hundreds of job boards, go to one of these two to see whats being posted almost everywhere. Realize, though, that your job board strategy should be a SMALL part of your job search strategy, assuming that many jobs posted might already be filled, or youll have hundreds of resumes you are competing against.   Also, a strong job board strategy includes checking boards that are niche (profession or industry) or geography not just ONE board. Professional help. Seriously, consider getting a coach and/or resume writer.   There are a number of job search coaches and resume writers I partner with who can help you.   You can also go to CareerDirectors.com and some other industry sites to look for certified career professionals.   If you make $x,xxx per month, how much are you losing as your job search goes forward?   I lost tens of thousands of dollars because I didnt bring in help, and spent my time on the wrong path in my job search. LinkedIn, of course. If you have to choose ONE social environment for your job search, its LinkedIn.   My second edition of Im on LinkedIn Now What??? has more information for job seekers, including a 10 point list on using LinkedIn for job seekers.   If you arent getting value out of LinkedIn, you are doing something wrong.   And stay tuned for info on the second edition. Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters. This is Dave Perrys book.   This book is a MUST READ, and will help you expand your vision of what you could and should be doing.   Another excellent book, if you feel like you were thrown under the bus, is We Got Fired, by Harvey Mackay.   I am almost done with this book and have found it to be extremely therapeutic (maybe Ill get this chip off my shoulder after all :p). Develop a network of recruiters who you can ask hard questions to.   These arent recruiters to find you jobs, rather recruiters who you can ask this just happened with this other recruiter, or company, what does it mean?   and why isnt my resume getting me interviews?   This is a network friend who can help you understand the process. Looking for company opportunities or key people to network into? Go to search.twitter.com and search for company names.   I bet 9 out of 10 times you wont find what you are looking for, but that 1 time might be gold, and it only takes a few minutes.   You dont need an account just go to that website.   This is also a great place for market research, salespeople, etc.   Also, same principle applies to blogsearch.google.com, to find players in your industry or profession. CareerHub blog there are dozens of career coaches who blog there and they help you understand stuff you should be thinking about, whether its career management or job search. A good understanding of the impact of being wounded. I think its CRITICAL to not come across as a wounded animal in your job search.   Bitter, depressed, etc.   will have a negative impact on your outcome.   Im not saying you cant have feelings, of course, but you need to figure out how to pull yourself together and become the professional you are. An HR professional told me, early in my job search, because I was pouting (we were/are friends) Jason, HR can smell blood a mile away.   He was telling me to be very careful about how I came across in my networking, even to good friends.   You can read more here: http://www.jibberjobber.com/blog/2006/10/11/i-smell-blood JibberJobber One Thing a few weeks ago I set up a Yahoo Group and started to send ONE email each day giving you an ACTIONABLE item that can be done in just a few minutes.   I dont want to overwhelm anyone (myself included!), but if you want to get a daily nudge, this has turned out to be a fun nudger   Sign up here. Im so passionate about career management, and being the CEO of Me, Inc, that I could just scream it from the rooftops.   I plead with you, whether you are in a job search or not, whether you own your own business (like me) or not, to seriously take control of your own career, and start doing this stuff ON PURPOSE! Go back to #1 above (JibberJobber), get signed up for a free account, and then start working on the rest of this list ON PURPOSE! 10 Resources for Job Seekers RIGHT NOW I wrote this for some Yahoo Groups Im on, and thought it would be a great resource for you.   If you have any resources to add, please leave a comment. Here are 10 resources Id offer up to those in a job search RIGHT NOW, and those who are concerned about future/looming/pending transitions: JibberJobber.com. Yeah, thats my site, and its self-serving for me to put it first.   Understand its a freemium site, which means you can have a free account for life, and optionally upgrade, and many people get value out of the free side.   JibberJobber replaces the spreadsheet and spiral notebook you are using to manage and organize your job search, allowing you to get long-term value out of all of the data you are collecting in your job search.   Plus, once you land your job, you can (should) continue to use it to manage your relationships in a way you cant on LinkedIn.   It is NOT a social network, rather a complement to your social networking strategy. Indeed or SimplyHired. These are the two biggest job board aggregators.   Instead of searching through dozens or hundreds of job boards, go to one of these two to see whats being posted almost everywhere. Realize, though, that your job board strategy should be a SMALL part of your job search strategy, assuming that many jobs posted might already be filled, or youll have hundreds of resumes you are competing against.   Also, a strong job board strategy includes checking boards that are niche (profession or industry) or geography not just ONE board. Professional help. Seriously, consider getting a coach and/or resume writer.   There are a number of job search coaches and resume writers I partner with who can help you.   You can also go to CareerDirectors.com and some other industry sites to look for certified career professionals.   If you make $x,xxx per month, how much are you losing as your job search goes forward?   I lost tens of thousands of dollars because I didnt bring in help, and spent my time on the wrong path in my job search. LinkedIn, of course. If you have to choose ONE social environment for your job search, its LinkedIn.   My second edition of Im on LinkedIn Now What??? has more information for job seekers, including a 10 point list on using LinkedIn for job seekers.   If you arent getting value out of LinkedIn, you are doing something wrong.   And stay tuned for info on the second edition. Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters. This is Dave Perrys book.   This book is a MUST READ, and will help you expand your vision of what you could and should be doing.   Another excellent book, if you feel like you were thrown under the bus, is We Got Fired, by Harvey Mackay.   I am almost done with this book and have found it to be extremely therapeutic (maybe Ill get this chip off my shoulder after all :p). Develop a network of recruiters who you can ask hard questions to.   These arent recruiters to find you jobs, rather recruiters who you can ask this just happened with this other recruiter, or company, what does it mean?   and why isnt my resume getting me interviews?   This is a network friend who can help you understand the process. Looking for company opportunities or key people to network into? Go to search.twitter.com and search for company names.   I bet 9 out of 10 times you wont find what you are looking for, but that 1 time might be gold, and it only takes a few minutes.   You dont need an account just go to that website.   This is also a great place for market research, salespeople, etc.   Also, same principle applies to blogsearch.google.com, to find players in your industry or profession. CareerHub blog there are dozens of career coaches who blog there and they help you understand stuff you should be thinking about, whether its career management or job search. A good understanding of the impact of being wounded. I think its CRITICAL to not come across as a wounded animal in your job search.   Bitter, depressed, etc.   will have a negative impact on your outcome.   Im not saying you cant have feelings, of course, but you need to figure out how to pull yourself together and become the professional you are. An HR professional told me, early in my job search, because I was pouting (we were/are friends) Jason, HR can smell blood a mile away.   He was telling me to be very careful about how I came across in my networking, even to good friends.   You can read more here: http://www.jibberjobber.com/blog/2006/10/11/i-smell-blood JibberJobber One Thing a few weeks ago I set up a Yahoo Group and started to send ONE email each day giving you an ACTIONABLE item that can be done in just a few minutes.   I dont want to overwhelm anyone (myself included!), but if you want to get a daily nudge, this has turned out to be a fun nudger   Sign up here. Im so passionate about career management, and being the CEO of Me, Inc, that I could just scream it from the rooftops.   I plead with you, whether you are in a job search or not, whether you own your own business (like me) or not, to seriously take control of your own career, and start doing this stuff ON PURPOSE! Go back to #1 above (JibberJobber), get signed up for a free account, and then start working on the rest of this list ON PURPOSE!

Beauty is Where You Choose To See It

Beauty is Where You Choose To See It Well thats boring.   How mundane.   Why post a picture like that?   Theres no fire in the sky.   No golden-apricot cotton candy tufts.   No pink-purple-blue stripes.   Its just a plain, average, grey shot of the lake.   Big deal.   Thats stupid, and its a stupid thing to like. Can you look into the mundane and see the deeper beauty within?    Notice the gentle waves rolling, disrupting the perfect glass.   Or  the red buoy, the only contrasting color floating calmly, like a childs ball drifting in the mild current. Allow the chatter to dissolve into silence.   Let the mind relax and let the eyes take in the richness of not just the greys but the subtle blues, even the barely there pink band that stretches across the sky. Or maybe this view is energizing, exciting.   Maybe you see how the storm is enveloping you, preparing for what we all hope- feet of fresh powder. Remember that just past the blanket of clouds that is here, in this moment called today, the sun is bright and warm, casting its golden rays to the edges of the horizon and beyond. There is beauty living beneath the surface of the plain, the average.   Its there, in all of us.   We just have to allow our selves to see it. About The Author Dani is a mountain dweller residing at beautiful Lake Tahoe, California.   Shes into yoga, photography, and making the world a better place.    

Soft Skills are Necessary for Personal Branding in Any Work Environment - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Soft Skills are Necessary for Personal Branding in Any Work Environment - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Gretchen Neels is the president of Neels Company. Her company is the leading provider of soft skills training to professional services firms, covering all areas of business communications. Gretchen has over ten years of experience recruiting and retaining top talent at a number of prestigious professional services firms, including Bain Company, Bank of America and Gordon Brothers. Gretchens company offers two amazing products: Business Etiquette 101 102. 101 focuses on the basics for new professionals, and those who may need a refresher, on whats acceptable and whats not in the workplace. 102 is more candid and on-target advice to help beginners and veterans alike navigate the unwritten code of corporate protocol. Personal Branding Podcast [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1bgziYexC4] Here is the Script Me: What exactly are soft skills? How are hard skills different? Why do we, as brands, need both? Gretchen: Soft skills are the opposite of hard skills. Hard skills are technical skills that identify people in certain industries. Soft skills are what we all need to use to get along with each other, such as emotional intelligence, a sense of humor, manners and observing the proper way to act in a given setting. Technical skills position you as competent, but soft skills allow you connect with your client and with co-workers. Me: Why do young professionals need to be careful when communicating with older generations in the workplace? Gretchen: There are 4 generations working under one roof. Traditionalists, baby boomers, Gen-Y and Gen-X. They all have different ways to communicate. Gen-Y uses technology as a mother tongue. They communicate through IM, whereas the older generations are more about face time. Me: What’s your story and how would you describe your brand in as few words as possible? Gretchen: Ive been in recruiting and retention for along time and saw that a lot of people who had the hard skills didnt get jobs. I felt really bad and thought they were great people, but if they had eye contact or confidence, they would have made it. I created a business that would teach these skills to people. My brand helps individuals and organizations improve performance through soft skills training. Me: I notice that your company has a great “brand statement” and I just posted about how every individual needs a “personal brand statement.” What I tell everyone is that you need to be the best at something to a specific audience. Can you explain yours in more depth? Gretchen: I started my career after college working at a big New York firm, where i got excellent training. When i started to go into business for myself, I saw the opportunity and importance to find a niche and do what I was most comfortable with. I wouldnt be as comfortable in the food service industry, but I can mesh well with law firms, consulting firms and banking. Me: You were recently quoted in the Wall Street Journal, in an article called “Law Without Suits: New Hires Flout Tradition.” Can you explain what the article was about, how you were positioned and how it impacted your personal brand? Gretchen: It was a really strong article talking about how senior leadership at law firms is really at a loss. They have young people coming into their firms that are not dressing appropriately. They need the soft skills training. The writer, Christina Brinkley, reached out to me and asked me about my work with law firms. When I do practice interviews at schools, Im coaching them before they even enter the workplace. It was a great article and I received a lot of feedback about it. Me: What suggestions do you have for people my age versus the older generation. What is your top 5 list? Gretchen: Buy the best clothes you can afford and be conservative because that will give you the credibility you need. Listen to what everyone has to say when you start your job. Dont act like a know-it-all because thats the worst thing you can do to yourself. Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.

Entrepreneurship 3 Key Strategic Moments for Entrepreneurs -

Entrepreneurship 3 Key Strategic Moments for Entrepreneurs - Entrepreneurship can be simultaneously satisfying and terrifying. While you’re making an effort to reach out and achieve the classic American Dream, in doing so, you often put yourself at a great deal of risk. Luckily, if you go into the entrepreneurial world prepared with the proper knowledge, there are some hugely important moments that you can use strategically to help yourself succeed. Getting Started Starting up your own business can be one of the most exciting things you can do as an entrepreneur. However, if you’ve never successfully started a business before, you might find yourself with a whole host of questions from what to do to how to do it. Ensuring that a business venture is successful begins with its inception: that weighty, pivotal moment from which many businesses never break away. First, you must determine what unique product or service your business has to offer the world at large. Once you know what your business will do, the problems it aims to solve, and who the target demographic for your business is, you need to plan how to obtain your funding. Not all entrepreneurs or their business partners have the capital needed to get a business off the ground, and angel investors come few and far between, so more and more entrepreneurs are turning toward crowdfunding to get their businesses up and running. Once you’ve figured out the basics of what your business is, how it will operate, and where the money will come from, the next step is to execute your business plan. It might seem like this would be the easy part, but there are many things to take into consideration, such as how your business is classified for taxation purposes and setting up an operating agreement for your LLC to ensure that everyone knows exactly how the business works and who is responsible for which aspects of it. The Inevitable Pivot No matter what you end up centering your business around, eventually all businesses will have to pivot in some form or another. The pivot doesn’t have to be something that you, as an entrepreneur, need to fear. In fact, you can turn the inevitable pivot into something incredibly beneficial for your business. While the eventual pivot may be something as small as successfully changing business processes or completely changing the product or service you offer, it doesn’t have to be as scary as it might seem. If your small business isn’t experiencing consistent growth, a pivot might be in order. The key to a successful pivot is recognizing when and how to pivot your business, not pivoting as a desperate last resort. Taking the opportunity to reinvent your business, talents, and assets allows you to focus on how your business addresses customer problems in a broader sense. A successful pivot can actually allow a business to grow far beyond its original goals. Oftentimes, a pivot is necessary because your target audience recognizes the value in part of your product that might have eluded you initially. Take for instance YouTube, which was initially envisioned as a sort of modern video-dating service wherein people would upload videos to their profiles in order to try and find dates. Eventually, YouTube realized that the more enticing part of their business was the video uploading and hosting, and so they dropped the dating angle and went on to become one of the most popular sites on the entire internet. Learning To Let Go Finally, it is important that an entrepreneur know the appropriate time to cut their losses when it comes to certain aspects of their business. In terms of products and services, a business can always pivot and restructure in an attempt to not only save a business but to also bring it to new heights. With business partners and clients, or even some business models, there are instances when it is best to simply cut ties and move forward for the sake of your business. Client and business relationships are not simply about transacting goods and services or finding someone to help you run a business. These are, in reality, actual relationships wherein it is absolutely necessary that all parties are on the same page when it comes to goals and vision for the relationship to be successful. Unmotivated business partners who don’t have the ability to fill in areas where your skills are lacking or don’t know how to inspire and challenge you in a positive way are not good business partners and their status as such should be reevaluated. When it comes to clients, the old saying that “the customer is always right” is actually quite wrong. Clients can often overstep boundaries, asking you to take care of issues that don’t pertain directly to services or products that you provide, or they can be continually late in filing and paying invoices or habitually incapable of maintaining contact with your business. In these situations, it may be best to simply let go and seek out other clients who can help your business grow instead of holding it back. Entrepreneurship can be hard, but it is by no means impossible. When you’re armed with the knowledge of how to capitalize on situations that your business might one day face, turning negatives into positives can become second nature. All you need to do is make sure that you know what opportunities to look for. This guest post was authored by Daniel Matthews Daniel Matthews is a writer from Boise, Idaho. In 2006 he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in English with a Creative Writing Emphasis from Boise State University. In 2014, he became a Certified Psychosocial Rehabilitation Practitioner (CPRP). As a CPRP, Daniel has extensive experience working with people in the community to help them apply the skills theyre learning in therapy to their everyday lives. In other words, he helps people achieve their goals and experience mental wellness.

Executive Jobs on the Rise in 2010 - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Executive Jobs on the Rise in 2010 According to the Wall Street Journals Sarah Needleman, executive recruiters see an uptick in executive jobs for 2010. Her finding is based on Execunets Recruiter Confidence Index, an historically reliable indicator. The December 2009 study shows that slightly more than half of the 153 recruiters surveyed expect a 19% rise in executive-search assignments during the first half of 2010, and 21% are planning to add recruiting staff to support the anticipated growth. Additionally, 54% (up from 50% in November) said they were confident the top-level executive employment market will improve in the next six months. Mark Anderson, president and chief economist of ExecuNet, a private network for business leaders, noted: All of this bodes well for executive job seekers and for those employed business leaders who may have deferred searching for new career opportunities in the last 12 to 18 months. The anticipated increase in search activity shows companies have started to expand their workforces after a long period of cutbacks. Heidrick Struggles vice chair John Wood says these findings mirror their own. We are definitely seeing a resurgence in board and CEO recruitment and would expect that to continue in 2010, he says. Mr. Wood suggests one reason for the turnaround is that executives who postponed retirement are now preparing to step down. As equity markets return and stocks trade up, people are now in a position to execute their retirement plans, he says. And board directors no longer feel compelled to stick around. They didnt want to make changes in the boardroom during a period of turmoil or difficulty,  Wood says. Theres really the abatement of the siege mentality now. Things are starting to sort themselves out a bit, so people are saying, I can step off.'   Related posts: 2010 Top 10 Executive Personal Branding and Job Search Trends Resume Lingerie and 10 Other Guerrilla Job Search Strategies

The Firefighter Recruitment Process How To Join The UK Fire Service

The Firefighter Recruitment Process How To Join The UK Fire Service The UK Fire Service are one of the most elite and respected organisations in the country. With this in mind, the recruitment criteria to become a firefighter is extremely strict, and you will have to pass a wide variety of assessments in order to gain entry into the service. In this blog, we’ll explore the Firefighter recruitment process, what it involves, and how you can pass!Firefighter Recruitment Application The very first stage of the selection process is to complete the firefighter pre-application checklist, and the online application form. The application form is one of the first stages of the firefighter selection process and it is probably the hardest to get through. You will be applying alongside many hundreds of other applicants, and therefore your application form needs to be good.Before we move on to how you should consider completing the form, read the following two important notes:Firefighters do not generally retire before their determined retirement date. The reaso n for this is because it is an exceptional job. Fire services rarely advertise firefighter posts, so the competition is very fierce when firefighter vacancies do eventually become available. Therefore, your application needs to be very good.Picture the scene â€" a Fire service assessor has been marking application forms for the last two weeks. It is late Friday afternoon and they come across your application form. Your application form is hard to read, full of grammar errors and is incomplete in a number of sections. Do you think the form will get through?It is crucial that your application form is concise, easy to read, neat, and completed in all the relevant sections. Take your time to complete a solid application. If you have the time, spend a week completing the form and answer the assessable questions in draft first before committing pen to paper. If you are completing an online application then complete your responses in draft first using a notepad or a similar tool.Assessment of Personal QualitiesThis section of the application form is designed to assess your personal qualities and attributes against that of a firefighter. When responding to the questions in this section you can draw on any of your experiences either from your home life, leisure activities, work (paid or unpaid) or education.The questions are usually divided into 3 parts, as follows:What you did or what was the situation?What role did you play? Or, why did you do what you did?What happened as a result of your actions?When answering these three questions, try to think about what the firefighter’s role involves. Don’t just mention the operational aspect of the role but remember the important sides of Community Fire Safety, reducing fires and risk, and also training. The skills required to become a firefighter are many and varied.Make sure you visit the website of the Fire service that you are applying to join. Visit a fire station and ask the local firefighters what they do and what t heir role involves.#section_589073977{padding-top:30px;padding-bottom:30px} #image_1605114538{width:100%}The Firefighter Recruitment TestsNo matter which Fire and Rescue Service you want to join, you’ll need to pass several written ability tests to get recruited. These tests are designed to assess your cognitive skills in several areas, and allow recruiters to evaluate how suitable you are for the non-physical side of the role.As a firefighter, you need to be able to make correct decisions under serious time constraints, and make use of many skills such as mathematical aptitude and situational awareness. As such, recruiters are keen to test these skills during the notoriously tough recruitment process.Most services do so using the National Firefighter Ability (NFA) Tests, which consist of the following:The Working with Numbers Test.The Understanding Information Test.The Situational Awareness and Problem-Solving Test.The National Firefighter Questionnaire.The NFA Tests you’ll fac e will usually consist of multiple-choice questions. The assessments themselves will normally be carried out at a local test centre or Fire service establishment, and will take approximately three hours to complete. You will receive full details about the tests prior to the test day. But you also need to be aware that some Fire and Rescue Services incorporate other ability tests â€" such as verbal reasoning and mechanical reasoning tests â€" into their processes.#section_413076225{padding-top:30px;padding-bottom:30px} #image_797977289{width:100%}The NFA Working with Numbers TestThis multiple-choice test assesses your ability to understand and work with the kinds of numerical information that a firefighter is likely to experience whilst carrying out his or her role.The test requires candidates to perform combinations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, as well as estimations of numerical data. The test usually consists of 32 questions, which must be answered within a set time limit. The questions are usually based around different Fire service-related scenarios, each with five or six related questions. The scenarios used may cover the following areas:Reading gauges at a factory fire;Monitoring fuel supplies;Using breathing apparatus;Managing hoses;Injuries and fire deaths in the home;Using hoses at a fire.#section_1889464494{padding-top:30px;padding-bottom:30px}Understanding Information TestThe Understanding Information test is designed to assess your ability to learn and retain information. Firefighters need to be capable of learning lots of job specific information. They also need to be able to retain that information so that they can use it during training and whilst attending operational incidents.There are plenty of policies and procedures to learn, and you will also need to be fully conversant with the operating manuals for your equipment and your Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). If you can successfully pass this Firefighter recruitmen t test then there is a good chance that you will be able to apply the same skills to the role of a firefighter. During this test you will be presented with a written passage and it is your job to read the text carefully before answering a series of questions based on the information provided.You may also find that the information provided is presented by video or in verbal format. If this is the case then you may be permitted to take notes during the presentation. After reading the passage, your options are True, False or Cannot Say based on the information provided. Remember to answer the questions based solely on the information provided and do not make the mistake of assuming.#section_379841038{padding-top:30px;padding-bottom:30px}Situational Awareness and Problem SolvingThis Firefighter recruitment test assesses an applicant’s ability to ensure the safety of themselves and others and also their ability to use information in order to solve problems.The test requires you to read descriptions of situations or scenarios that you are likely to face when working as a firefighter. You will then be presented with four answers and you must choose the answer that most closely describes what you would do in that situation. It is important to understand that firefighters must be capable of working both safely and unsupervised. Answer the questions carefully and think about the scenario before you respond.The real test has 30 questions and you will have 35 minutes to complete them. It is up to you to read each question very carefully before selecting your answer. Before you try the sample test, take a look at the following example test question.Example Test Question â€" Situational Awareness and Problem SolvingWhilst on duty, you overhear a conversation between two firefighters. One of them is making inappropriate comments about the other firefighter’s gender. What would you do?Ignore the comments and carry on with my work. Banter is part and parcel of Fire service life.Join in with the comments. It’s only a bit of fun and if the other person cannot take it, then they shouldn’t be in the job.Immediately challenge the inappropriate behaviour and explain how the comments are not in line with organisational policy.Report the comments to my line manager. It is their responsibility to deal with this kind of issue.The correct answer to this question is:Immediately challenge the inappropriate behaviour and explain how the comments are not in line with organisational policy.No form of bullying, harassment or inappropriate comments are tolerated in the fire service. It is your responsibility to proactively challenge them. How do we know this if we are not already serving in the Fire service? The simple answer is that if you learn and understand the PQAs, then you will be able to answer the question.#section_640737848{padding-top:30px;padding-bottom:30px}Firefighter Recruitment InterviewEach stage of the application process is very important, but y ou will probably find that this is the one stage that causes you the most nerves. In fact, if you don’t feel nervous leading up to and during your interview, then you are less likely to perform to your maximum capability.If you have reached this stage of the selection process, then the Fire recruitment service are interested in employing you. They want to meet you face to face in order to see what you are like as a person and also whether you really do have the skills required to become a firefighter.The interview is usually a relatively informal affair that is designed to assess your knowledge of the firefighter’s role and in particular how you can meet the personal qualities and attributes that are relevant to the role. Whilst the majority of questions are usually based around the PQAs, you should also prepare for the more generic type of interview questions.How long will the interview last for?The interview should last no longer than 1 hour. Usually between 45 and 50 minutes is the norm, but this will depend on the length of your responses.What should I wear to the interview?You will not normally be assessed on your dress, but it is strongly advised that you wear a formal outfit such as a suit. Make sure your shoes are clean and polished, and do not wear white socks or ones with cartoon characters on them!What is the purpose of the interview?The main purpose of the firefighter recruitment interview is to talk about you and your interest in becoming a firefighter, and then to look at some areas of your experience in more detail.Is everyone asked the same set of questions?Yes, they are. This is so that the process is fair and everyone gets the same chance.How many people will be on the panel?This depends on the service you are applying to join. There could be 2, 3, or even 4 people on the panel. They could be a mix of uniformed personnel and non-uniformed personnel. There will usually be someone on the panel from the Human Resources department to ensure t he interview is fair and consistent.How will the interview commence?The panel will ask you to sit down and introduce themselves to you. There will be a glass of water on the table in front of you, and you will be asked to make yourself comfortable. Whilst it is acceptable to make yourself feel comfortable, do remember that you are being assessed ,so make sure you watch your interview technique.The panel will then explain the purpose of the interview to you. They will state that they are going to ask you for specific examples of what you have done in different situations. It is okay to draw from examples from home, work, school, college, or hobbies. It is advisable that you draw from a variety of different experiences.How will I be assessed?You will normally be assessed against the Personal Qualities and Attributes that are relevant to the role of a firefighter, but this will very much depend on the Fire and Rescue Service that you are applying to join.The key assessment areas are as follows:Commitment to excellence;Commitment to development;Commitment to diversity and integrity (this area carries the most importance);Communicating effectively.#section_496793496{padding-top:30px;padding-bottom:30px}The Ultimate Guide on How to Become a FirefighterHere at How2Become, we’ve created an excellent guide on How to Become A Firefighter! It’s jam packed with extra information on all of the above, PLUS sample questions, extensive explanations of the physical exercises, and more!But, here’s the best part… you can get the How to Become a Firefighter audiobook for FREE on Audible if you sign up today!Claim your free audiobook here: How to Become a Firefighter. #image_1622174428{width:100%}#section_604039823{padding-top:30px;padding-bottom:30px} This entry was posted in Firefighter, Assessment Centres, Job Competencies. Bookmark the permalink. Jordan Cooke Medway Eleven Plus: Maths Guidance and PracticeAnswering Interview Questions With No Experience: Pro Tips!

Tips on How to Write a Resume

Tips on How to Write a ResumeHow to write a resume is a crucial skill that can make the difference between employment or not. There are many different ways that you can use to write your resume that will help you get that first job that you have always wanted.First of all, it is important to remember that not every resume needs to be the same. There are so many different ways to format resumes that you can think of, but you need to realize that they all have one thing in common: they must contain certain pieces of information. Let's take a look at the information that you must include. Some examples are:Name and Address - This is required in order to prove that you exist. It is important that you have your first and last name and your mailing address on your resume. This gives you some insight into who you are and how you can provide that company with more valuable information. Your best bet is to include your phone number or other contact information.Job Experience - This section is also a must-have. While this section is very important, it is far from being necessary. The hiring manager will have the ability to see your resume in full detail and will see the areas where you have failed. That means that you should include some past work experience as part of this section. You can include additional experience that will further add to your resume.Educational History - This part is very important because it provides insight into your ability to learn and apply knowledge. It is also important that you list your coursework from high school and any college degrees that you have earned. Since there are many universities that offer online degrees, be sure to list them. If you list all of your degree, you are going to be left with only one of each. In order to make sure that your employer is given a good idea of what you are all about, it is always a good idea to list a summary of your education.Time Spent in Education - List the number of years that you have spent in education in order to be able to make an accurate statement about how you have progressed. It is also important to note the year that you started your education and how much you paid for your education. It is vital that you are honest with yourself.Personal Statements - It is good to include your personal statements in this section. This will give your employer some insight into who you are. Since there are so many different fields in which you can write, your personal statement should be written as per your interest. For example, if you are interested in government jobs, you should write your personal statement after your job history section. Keep in mind that there are many companies that require you to submit a resume by a specific date.How to write a resume is not easy. You need to remember that the resume is just one part of the entire resume package. It is very important that you think about how your career would be different with one extra sentence added to your resume. It w ill be much easier for you to focus on your career goals and put your resume into the right perspective.