What Not To Wear To A Job Interview

With baggie jeans and big fuzzy boots being all the rage these days, one of the most asked questions that I answer lately is, “what shouldn’t I wear to a job interview?” So, here are the top 5 things that you should NOT wear to a job interview:

1. Do NOT wear inappropriate footwear to a job interview. that includes: fuzzy Boots, sneakers, Timberlands, moccassins, mules, clogs or especially NOT flipflops. The basic rule is if it looks like you’re going to climb a mountain, ski or going to the beach then it’s a No-No!

2- Excessive jewelry is no place for a job interview, unless you’re Mr. T. One simple chain, matching bracelet or bangle and 1 or 2 rings are appropriate.

3-Job interviews are no place for excessive cologne, perfume or loud body sprays. I know most of us don’t leave home without a little splash, but the strength of the aroma is usually lost on the person that is wearing it. Being offensive at a job interview is definitely a deal breaker.

4-Loud distasteful colors should not be worn to a job interview. An orange cami under a tasteful black suit is a bit loud, but not as bad as the reverse. A black cami under a bright orange suit, with matching orange pumps. The rule of thumb here is a basic black or navy suit, with a white or pastel colored top/shirt underneath.
Men can also carry off a gray or brown suit.

5-For a job interview, hats, eccentric headgear, unless it is religious headgear, should be removed before you enter the room.

Are You A Career-shifter?

Today’s competitive job market has left many displaced workers trying to resurrect a career that may no longer be a viable solution to making ends meet.

As jobs in specific industries, such as auto, real estate, banking and finance have suffered tremendously within the last year, so have the out of work analysts, assemblyline workers, sales people and more. However, the bust of these companies do not have to mean the end of your career. Just by making tiny adjustments to your resume, you can implement a successful career shift into an industry that is still booming.

Since every job performance is based on an individual exhibiting specific skill sets to be successful, it is then the skill set and not the job title that is transferrable. Because you were a waitress for the last five years, doesn’t mean that you cannot update your resume to highlight your ability to work under pressure and your great organization skills and then cross over into working in childcare. Well that is if you like kids of course. I make this point to show that you are not the title that appears on your resume, but the set of skills that you’ve acquired along the way. With that in mind, don’t limit your job search to any one specific job title, become a career-shifter and get back to work!

Are any of you out there career shifters? if so, what was your original job title and what skills did you use to make that career shift?

Unemployment Busters!

This forum is dedicated to getting America BACK TO WORK! Whether you seek WAHM or good old fashioned work opportunities, this is the forum to join! We’ll discuss true WAHM opportunities, share resources for building your own business or learn effective strategies for getting back into the job market. Join today and let’s bust the unemployment bubble, one job at a time! Is your resume costing you jobs and thousands of dollars each year? Ask me your resume questions or visit my website at http://www.reliableva.com to order an updated professional resume. If you’re a member of this forum, you will receive 10% off any resume package you select. Thinking of starting a business? Visit Reliableva.com/Partners for resources or just ask your questions about real WAHM opportunities. I am an entrepreneur with several streams of income and I know the true companies that outsource. Let me help you to get back to work!

Go Green for the Holidays!

I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas
The Christmas season contributes 25 million tons of waste. Discover five creative ideas that will reduce waste and save money while still keeping the joy during the holidays.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1279505/im_dreaming_of_a_green_christmas.html

Making the Leap from Employee to Employer

     If we’re anything alike, you woke up one sunny morning, grabbed your cup of coffee and stared at the closet full of clothes trying figure out what to wear to work that day. You showered and dressed and then headed out for the usual commute to work. Today is a normal day, just like any other…that is until you stepped 1 foot into your cubicle. The entire meaning of life just came rushing down on your shoulders and there you stand, 1 foot in and 1 foot out, wondering if there is another level to this ratmill, called work. Some days the feeling comes as quickly as it goes, but today is different. Today, you actually begin to wonder about making that leap from employee to employer and a whole new world begins to divulge itself to you. This is my story in a nutshell. The beginning of the Reliable Virtual Assistant Service. Do you remember the moment that changed your life? The moment that you decided to make the leap from employee to employer?

How to stay motivated while starting your business

Starting a new business can be an overwhelmingly exciting, stress on overwhelming,  experience. The most common advice you’ll receive about getting started will be to sit down and craft some long convoluted business plan. Yes, that will certainly ensure that you have laser focus on what is needed to get your business up and running, but many small businesses can be started with a rough idea.

Starting any business demands that you know 7 key inputs:

• What product or service you will provide? – This is easy enough, start with what you like. What’s your passion? What would you do, even if you didn’t get paid to do it? Start there, or read a few books for some ideas.
• Why would someone use this product or service ? – This is EXTREMELY important. Many people are under the impression that “if you build it, they will come”. Unless you’re in the business of giving out free stuff, there’s a big chance that no one but you will think that your product or service is necessary. Don’t rely on your personal likes for this one. Ask friends and co-workers. Use internet search engines to research your idea. Services like KeywordTracker or Google will help you to identify the popularity of your industry.
• Who will use your product/service ? – Know what benefit your service or product will provide is as important as who will purchase it. Selling apples in a community where everyone has an apple tree in their backyards, won’t get you rich. However, you may get a tummy ache from having to eat all of those apples.
• How much will it cost to deliver the product/service ? This is another biggie. Understanding the cost structure will help you to identify if your business will be profitable. If the cost of manufacturing the product is higher than the retail value, then “Houston we have a problem”. Learn your product and your market.
• How much do you need to charge to receive a positive return on your investment? This point directly impacts your pocket. What’s your income per unit? How many do you have to sell to make $4,000 per month? Getting this down to it’s simplest terms will help you remain focused.
• How will I let people know about your new business? – There are several effective marketing strategies. Some are free and others can be quite expensive. Start with sending out business cards or sales letters to everyone you know, including amily, friends, co-workers, etc. Social Networking services, such as LinkedIn and MySpace can also be a great value add here. Post free classified ads. Go where the people are. Hand out fliers at local events. Donate a few of your products or provide some services for free to gain momentum on your “WOM” ,word of mouth campaign. Starting a blog is also an inexpensive what to show off your product or service.  Finally, your local chamber of commerce and small business association can be a great resource in getting customers.
• How will I handle order and fulfillment or service scheduling/delivery. ? Once you build it and they start to come, you need to be able to deliver on what you promised. How will you accept orders? How will you be paid? Will you need to ship out the product or can it be provided electronically? Do you have a method of scheduling appointments and answering calls? Will you need to hire an assistant or can you handle it alone? Knowing your personal limits can be a great help in preparing for your business to boom.

The most important part is to get out and starting doing, instead of wasting so much time and energy on thinking about what to do. Create an outline of tasks and a journal. Then commit some time everyday to working through your list and updating. Before you know it, you’ll be in business, GUARANTEED!  

 

Are entrepreneurs born or made?

It’s the age old question. One that is debated in the media, almost daily. Many believe entrepreneurs possess a special gene, which makes entrepreurship a human trait, much like having the ability to sing or dance. You don’t learn to sing, you just do! You don’t become an entrepreneur, you just are. But is it remotely possible that you can learn to become an entrepreneur? If so, what skills are necessary to be successful?

Can time management be the key to recession-proofing your business?

Time management is the act of effectively planning your time and the use of your resources, as a means to improve productivity, but how can this be the key to recession proofing your business?

The answer is quite simple. In these times of economic uncertainty, most business owners feel a need to cut back on spending as a way of staying afloat. This may be a rational option, however cutting back on spending, depending on where the cutbacks lie, can actually decrease your chances of surviving a recession. Understanding your expenses is the most important part of planning out your recession strategy. Once you’re able to understand your expenses, you can then put strategies in place to either maintain or decrease your spending in those areas, but choose carefully as every decision can make or break your business. You have 2 options as I see it, increase your income or reduce your expenses.

Ideally, you begin this exercise by determining where cutting back will allow you to maintain your current clients, without compromising the possibility of gaining new ones. Pay special attention to your marketing budget. This is NOT where you want to cut back, ESPECIALLY if you have an effective marketing strategy that is bringing you a return on your marketing dollars. My advice in this area is to identify a strategy that will allow you to manage all of your other expenses enough, so you can continue your marketing strategy.

The first place most businesses look is in identifying ‘frills’ from ‘must have’s’. Unfortunately, sometimes this results in losing ‘human’ resources. If this is the case, you should determine which roles are most critical to running your business. A common assumption in this process is that many business owners, especially small business owners, believe that they can just do the work themselves for free. Rule # 1 of starting your business should be that YOU DO NOT work for FREE! If you doing the work takes away a moment of you growing your business, this is NOT a viable solution.  In this situation, you should seriously research and consider  Outsourcing some tasks, such as web maintenance and/or administrative work until the hard times pass. Outsourcing can provide an effective way of getting things done without the high overhead of maintaining a staff and/or commercial rents. However, knowing exactly what tasks your employees perform is fundamental to choosing the right company to outsource to.

Finally, this may be a perfect time to research new suppliers, if you have not entered any formal contracts. You may find a vendor that can provide you the same, or better, services than you are currently receiving and at a better price! Just remember, the most important rule is to not fix what’s not broken.

-ReliableVA