Author: Benjamin Cook

When you�’re sitting, waiting for your interview time to come up does the world suddenly seem more…detailed? You can hear the phone ringing, the clicking of the heater, the tapping of a pen on a desk, the muted sound of voices in another room, sounds outside from the bin lorry that�s picking up the rubbish, the traffic in the street� just about everything.

Do you notice that your clothes, so carefully picked to give a good impression, suddenly feel uncomfortable and that tie (or blouse) seems rather tight and scratchy, and now you’�re acutely aware of every thought and feeling that�s going through your head?

You start to feel hot, sick and nervous. Your limbs twitch uncontrollably. You start to feel light-headed or faint – and all you want to do is run away.

We�ve all been there, some more often than others, but if you ALWAYS feel like this in stressful situations� be reassured – THERE IS HELP!

First: the discomfort and the light-headedness and urge to flee is all caused by your stress state. Which means that YOU can fix it. That�s right, you�’ve been doing this to yourself (even if you didn’�t know it) and now is the time to learn to Let Go. And the easiest way to do that is to imagine the worst.

I know, I know – that’s what the problem has been all this time, but think about it: have you ever actively tried to fail? Given the most ridiculous answers? Modelled yourself on Borat and deliberately attempted to upset a potential employer? No. Obviously not. And even if you did – what’s the worst that could happen?

Second: if you can trace what past event has caused this anxiety, in your present you have a chance to Let the tension and dread Go.

YOU are putting yourself under extreme pressure; you are giving yourself a strong, unconscious response to the interview. Unless you take the time to rationally examine your fear you will remain at the mercy of your subconscious.

So� how do you make it stop?

In order to Let Go you must analyse the past event, intellectually examining it without re-experiencing the painful feelings. When you disassociate yourself from a memory you can learn to re-pattern your behaviours in a more productive manner.

So when you’ve figured out what is causing the fear, and considered what it is that you need to Let Go, you can positively picture yourself in an interview where you hope to do well but do not physically fear an unsuccessful application.

Third: remember the following tricks to help you calm yourself down when you begin to feel anxious.

● Touch your fourth (ring) finger to your thumb on both hands and breathe slowly and rhythmically. This is a breathing technique which will help calm your mind and body.

● Smile! It sounds strange, but sometimes looking up and smiling can help pull you out of an unpleasant emotional state – body language and posture play a decisive role in controlling how you feel.

● Nerves are heightened when we continually run an image or scenario in our heads – doing something to �break’ this state can help enormously. Standing up rather than sitting down, changing seats or focussing on something out of the window can all help ‘break’ your anxiety and lessen the dread.

● Picture yourself with a positive outcome – focus on the positive and ‘break’ any negative.

● Fake it! If you pretend to be calm and relaxed you will appear to be calm and relaxed – and will present better to an interviewing board.

So next time you take an interview, remember these tricks and I wish you luck!

——

www.benjamincook.co.uk Benjamin Cook is an NLP Practitioner and Hypnotherapist in Glasgow specialising in weight loss, phobia cure, smoking cessation and personal coaching

Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_1310297_36.html

Author: Source101

“Before you become too entranced with gorgeous gadgets and mesmerizing video displays, let me remind you that information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom and wisdom is not foresight. Each grows out of the other, and we need them all.” Arthur C. Clarke

Looking for a job can be an education in and of itself. The old saying is that looking for a job is the hardest job that you will ever have. That may well be true, especially in these trying economic times. You write, rewrite and revise your resume a million times. You send out query letters by the ream. You have filled out so many applications that you have carpal tunnel and permanent ink stains on your fingers. You have gone to interview upon interview, the faces of Human Resources all blending in to each other. What is holding you back? Why can’t you get a job?

One of the first things you should take a long hard look at is your education. Did you get handed your high school diploma and then stop trying to learn? Were your grades less than stellar? Were you satisfied with just good enough to get by? The world moves far too quickly for mediocre education, or for someone to just take yesterday’s knowledge and proceed into the future. Look at computers for instance. When I was in high school, computers were huge, block shaped behemoths taking up most of a desk. Computer class was only offered as an elective at that time. Now, my own children have been introduced to computers and their uses early and they are an integrated part of their regular education, not a side note.

In the business world, those who make decisions want to surround themselves with people who are smart, savvy, people who know things. Of course there is always some specialized training when a new job is started, but no one wants to start from scratch so to speak with their employees. An education that goes beyond what is required by law will say that you are dedicated to bettering yourself, that you are a real ” go-getter” and that just well enough will not be adequate for you. CEOs like that kind of attitude.

If there are too similar applicants for a job, Human Resources might use education as the tie breaker, and you want to make sure that you come out on top of that race. If your educational and career goals mesh up well, you will be sure to go far. It should be written above the board (or the clock where more students will actually see it) in every classroom across the country: Get an education and get a job.
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About the Author: Source101 Is A Directory Portal That Showcases Articles, Digital Products, Softwares And Videos! Find What You Want! http://www.Source101.Com

By: Vince Stevenson

Unemployment in a recession is a nasty business. It is a horrible shock for many talented people. However, it’s important to bounce back quickly. Get that all important sales document, your CV into shape and ensure that all of your recent achievements are highlighted. If you haven’t worked in a customer facing environment, it’s highly likely that your interview skills and confidence could well do with a boost.

Redundancy can be like a death in the family. It fills people with the fear of an uncertain future. When will I get that next opportunity to return to work? Would changing career path now be the correct decision? It hurts not to be working – it hurts not to feel needed. It hurts not to be surrounded with one’s friends and colleagues. If you are single and home alone, it’s quite an alienating experience. If you’re married, you have the personal uncertainty to worry about as well as the concern for your family’s future. Can you continue to afford piano lessons for your daughter? Are her drama lessons absolutely necessary?

The good news is that help is at hand and if you fall into the category of person who has had a job which is not customer facing, you will probably need that little bit of assistance to fire up your confidence and get you speaking and selling yourself like a professional.

The first thing is to update that CV. Keep it tight, accurate and full of your workplace achievements. For example, since taking over as Head of Export Sales in 2005, your sales figures have been best in the company and broke all industry trends. If it’s true, don’t be shy about making that very clear. The interview is the opportunity to put the flesh on the bones of this occurrence. Explain how half of your sales force left at Christmas 2006 and you recruited, trained and retained your new staff and received a prestigious sales awards. Tell them about your project management skills – how you had to manage your time between London and Tokyo, product launches across continents, languages and cultures takes some effort. Speak enthusiastically about your positive input – if you are not enthusiastic, do not expect your interviewer to pick up on your major achievements.

Enthusiasm is infectious – it sends positive vibrations of personal creativity and success. People like to work with successful people. People like to work with creativity. It is a personally rewarding experience. Confidence is the key. Sadly, if you have been out of work for some time, it’s highly likely that your confidence has taken something of a dent. However, there are people and organizations that can help you. Don’t be afraid of asking for help when it’s needed. Think of this learning opportunity as an investment in the future, not another cost when you can least afford it.

——

Vince Stevenson has been nominated for a number of prestigious awards for his work in the voluntary sector. Vince is a founder and director of the College of Public Speaking, one of the UK’s leading presentation skills companies and has taken over the personal development brief. Visit the College of Public Speaking at => http://www.collegeofpublicspeaking.co.uk/Interview_Skills.html
About the Author
Occupation: Director of Education – College of Public Speaking
Vince Stevenson is one of England’s greatest speaking enthusiasts, having competed for and won many prestigious competitions. Vince is involved with speaking at many levels and has just finished his year as District President of the South-Eastern District of the Association of Speakers Clubs having been involved in its educational development for many years. Vince is a founder and lead trainer at the College of Public Speaking, a business dedicated to improving effective communication skills in industry. He is also an in demand after-dinner speaker.

http://www.collegeofpublicspeaking.co.uk

Author: BradS1234

Being a freelance writer is a great gig. You get to make your own hours, you get to do something you love, and you get to work from the comfort of your home, usually without pants and while watching a stupid B-movie or listening to music as loud as you want. Unfortunately, there are a number of things to consider before giving up your day job and becoming a freelance writer, or, well, a freelance anything.

While the notion of creating your own hours and working from home indeed enticing, anyone who wants to get into freelancing should know that work is not always steady. One week you could be inundated with jobs that you have barely enough time to complete, while the next could be absolutely free of work. This, of course, can only happen AFTER you’ve established yourself as a freelance writer and can in some way stand out from the many thousands of other writers vying for the same jobs. There is a silver lining, however, as several sites offer flat fee writing gigs that pay per articles. Most require you to apply, but once accepted, you can work at your own leisure. Although some tend to make a living writing for such companies, many often find it to be a great source of supplementary income.

Once you’ve established yourself as a freelance writer, there is the matter of taxes. 99% of freelance work is paid out tax free, which means it’s up to you to keep a record of all your income so you can pay appropriate taxes come mid-April. Some freelancers choose to pay quarterly taxes as opposed to yearly to lighten the load. Nothing is more terrifying than having to drop a ton of money at once on taxes that are typically deducted from each paycheck. Most freelancers tend to set aside 10-20 percent of their weekly or bi-weekly earnings to pay for taxes when the time comes.

Another concern among freelance writers is health insurance. Since freelancers are self-employed, they are unable to receive health insurance or other benefits, such as 401K from employers. As such, they’re forced to either go without insurance or seek out independent insurance, which can be quite expensive. Some choose to join the Freelancers Union, which helps freelancers obtain affordable insurance. Although this can be a major turn-off, in some cases health insurance can be tax deductible.

Negative aspects aside, there are plenty of great things about being a freelance writer. In addition to the aforementioned ability to make your own hours and work from home, there is the benefit of weekly paychecks. Living paycheck to paycheck becomes a thing of the past, as freelancing, especially in the case of pay-per-article sites, you’re given the opportunity to receive weekly, sometimes twice weekly paychecks, depending on who you work for. If you’re a stay-at-home mother or father, freelance writing can enable you to earn income while still caring for your child.

In the end, choosing a career in freelance writing can be a rewarding decision, though the pros and cons should be seriously considered before making the transition. This career is especially effective for those with great discipline and the desire to get the job done at all costs.

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