The Recruiters Guide to Social Monitoring Tools

The Recruiters Guide to Social Monitoring Tools For a significant amount of money, there’s a raft of social media monitoring/listening tools that are currently available. However, if you are a small brand with a limited budget, what options are available to you?  Outlined below are several free online monitoring tools available in the market. What exactly does social media or brand monitoring entail? Simply put, this involves scouring the internet for any mentions or links regarding your tool, brand or service with the intent of addressing any concerns or questions that your users might have as well as an opportunity to gather valuable insight. To effectively monitor your brand online, you must pick the most relevant keywords applicable to you. This is easy enough if you have called your company or service something quite unique, however you also need to be aware of any dimunitive forms or other keywords that users tend to use online in association with your brand. For example, the Haloid company were the first people to introduce a desktop copier into the market which took off with great success. If they only monitored the keyword “Haloid” they would have missed the fact that most of their consumers actually referred to them as “Xerox”, after their most popular product. (They later changed the company name from Haloid to Xerox.) We at  Clever Biscuit  launched a free recruitment sourcing tool a few months ago called  Recruitin. To monitor the online chatter following our launch, I monitored 4 keywords, “recruitin”, “#recruitin” and “recruitin.net”, as well as our company name “CleverBiscuit”. It’s important to note that for a word like “recruitin” there will be a significant amount of noise as it is often used instead of “recruiting”. Hence, you need to be aware of the different contexts that your keywords will appear in and recognise which ones apply specifically to you. 1) Twitter If your brand has a social media presence, Twitter.com is generally the first place you will look at to find out what people are saying about you. You can monitor keywords using the search function and scan all tweets that contain the keywords you need. Twitter will allow you to save your searches and even embed the stream on a webpage. As you look through your search results, make sure you have selected “All” tweets to see all the results as the default setting will only show the top tweets. 2) Hootsuite Hootsuite is probably the easiest way of monitoring several streams of keywords simultaneously. By connecting your Twitter and Google+ account, you can assign a search term for each stream and monitor the feed accordingly. It’s up to you how you organise your keyword streams but the easiest way would be to create one tab for each social network and then create one stream for each keyword. Hootsuite currently allows upto 10 streams per tab. From your Hootsuit dashboard you can then respond to any status updates that you want by replying to the posters, retweeting them or simply following them. You can also gather insight into which users are influential, judging by how many times their posts are retweeted or shared. 3: LinkedIn Signal Using LinkedIn Signal, you can search all user updates for mentions of your brand or keywords. From the search bar, all you need to do is select “Updates” from the dropdown menu and you’re on your way. As with other sites, LinkedIn will allow you to saved your search for future use as well as applying filters to narrow down your results. In the screenshot below, you will see that the results contain updates that link to Recruitin.net directly as well as a link to any blog posts that mentioned our tool which have been shared on the network. The results will also show you if anyone within an individuals’s network has liked or shared an update about you. This is especially useful information as you can use this to generate leads and establish connections with individuals who have already bought into you brand. Within the results you can also see if people have shared a story about you within a particular LinkedIn group that you may not have known about. In most cases, you can easily access the group and the specific discussion around your brand. Depending on the nature of the group you should try to join it and establish a direct connection with your users who can provide more feedback and insight. 4: Topsy Topsy is a free tool that offers social insight. By searching for your brand keyword or domain, Topsy will show you status updates or tweets that mention you or link to your domain from different online sources. You can then set up an email alert or RSS feed subscribing to the latest search results. Bloggers will typically promote articles they have written using Twitter. Topsy scans those tweets and then leads you to the original blog post talking about your brand. By following the post, you can join the conversation in the comments section or simply add it to your press cuttings for future reference. It is generally difficult to scan Facebook for mentions of your brand in the updates as most people will keep their statuses private or only accessible by their friends. However, there is a significant number of people who cross-post their updates between Facebook and Twitter. Topsy will also lead you to those Facebook pages where possible. Alternatively, you can also use Topsy to monitor how many people are tweeting about your company’s blogposts or domain and group them accordingly for ease of use. From the screenshot below, you can see that the most recent tweet containing http://recruitin.net  was from 2 days ago and that to date, the link has been shared on the network 224 times. Topsy will also highlight individuals who are “influential” within the network. You can also use Topsy to scan Google+ although the tool is still currently in beta mode. 5: Google Alerts Possibly the simplest alert system there is. You can subscribe to Google Alerts  which will send you updates via email from the web, news, blogs, etc. that mention or point to your keywords. You can easily manage the number of sources and frequency of the updates you receive. Alternatively, you can always opt to receive the updates via RSS. 6: Google Analytics For Recruitin, people generally share the link to the tool within their network as opposed to simply mentioning the name in passing. If people are purposely sharing your website, you can simply go into your Google Analytics account and from the list of referring sources, find out where people are sharing your web address. By following the links, you might find new blogs or forums that link directly to your site and consequently support your offsite SEO strategy. 7: Open Site Explorer  by Moz If you don’t have access to your domain’s Google Analytics account you can use Open Site Explorer to check what sites are linking to your company domain. You can search up to 3 domains per day for free and by filtering the results for inbound links to you root domain, you will see how many sites are linking to you. You can then simply follow the links to find out what they are being used for and consequently, what they are saying about you. 8. Google Search Finally, nothing beats a traditional Google search of your brand or company name. It’s a manual and laborious task to search through the dozens of pages that appear in the search results. However, by going through the list of results one by one, you might find a niche forum or site mentioning you which you otherwise would not have known about. This is especially helpful if your product appeals to a spcecific group who are not active on large social networks. This is just a broad overview of tools available to monitor your brand’s online presence. Generally, each social network or forum will allow you to search within the site for occurrences of your keyword or brand name. It’s up to you to decide how relevant this is to your strategy and whether there is any value in following the conversations within smaller networks. Remember that social media monitoring is just that, monitoring online conversations. The primary goal is to gather insight about how people perceive your brand or utilise your services. Unless there is an intrinsic value in joining a conversation that you did not facilitate yourself, it is probably best not to jump in aggressively. Respond according to the nature of the conversation. After all, it only takes one knee-jerk response to an unfavourable comment or an unflattering blogpost to unravel your entire social media strategy and plunge you into a media disaster. By regularly checking in on the onine conversations around your brand, it would make it easier to avoid a media disaster as well as making sure that your brand is truly engaged beyond just maintaining a set of social media profiles.

Weight Loss Why CleanTone Is Worth A Look

Weight Loss Why CleanTone Is Worth A Look I have long been an advocate of healthy living and eating. Of course, like everyone else, I have my binge moments every now and then. A few times, I’ve tried certain weight loss products, like Herbalife or Fittea, but I haven’t really been overwhelmed. My main concern with any healthy weight products is that you don’t know what’s inside. Most companies hide caffeine, soy, or gluten underneath ‘blends’, where they don’t have to disclose those ingredients. Maybe they contain a well-researched ingredient or two, but it isn’t worth taking them if the other 90% could be harmful. That’s when I came across CleanTone, the newest product from Prosper. This brand is deeply committed to their mission of making healthy living easier for people like me. They use exclusively earth-grown ingredients in all of their products and formulate benefits based on just published, peer-reviewed scientific literature. More than simply having incredible products, they are setting a new health standard in an industry where it seems like everyone else is cutting corners. CleanTone, their flagship product, is 100% vegan, vegetarian and uses clinically studied ingredients to reduce bloating, increase energy, and boost metabolism. There are four primary ingredients: Garcinia Cambogia  Garcinia Cambogia also known as the Malabar tamarind, is a small, sweet tropical tree fruit shaped like a pumpkin. In the late 1960s, scientists discovered an acid in the fruit somewhat similar to the citric acid found in fruits like oranges and lemons. That acidâ€"called hydroxycitric acid, or HCAâ€"has been clinically shown to reduce the conversion of carbohydrates into stored fat, decreasing your overall body fat ratio. Red Raspberry  Red Raspberry contains strong antioxidants such as Vitamin C, quercetin and gallic acid that fight against cancer, heart and circulatory disease and age-related decline. They are high in ellagic acid, also known chemopreventative, and have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties.  Green Coffee Bean  Green Coffee Bean Extract provides free radical support and also supports metabolism in order to burn a higher proportion of lipids to carbohydrates.  And Green Coffee Bean Extract contains two important polyphenolic compounds- caffeic and chlorogenic acids. Caffeic acid provides a safe energy boost while being naturally low in caffeine. Chlorogenic acids help your body burn its fat deposits at a more rapid rate.  Green Tea Green Tea Extract is an excellent source of potent polyphenols (bioflavonoids with healthful properties) which help repair tissue dsamage. Research has identified EGCG as the most active polyphenolic compound in Green Tea that supports thermogenesis (fat burning), healthy blood insulin levels and appetite control.  And that’s it. No fillers, no hidden additives. They even go as far to provide the specific clinical studies for each ingredient! Beyond The Ingredients Ok, so once I read about the integrity of their ingredients, I decided to check them out a little more. I know that most supplements are made in cGMP Compliant Facilities, but because the FDA can’t go check every manufacturing facilities, there is no way to make sure these companies are actually following the rules. After doing some digging, I was blown away by the steps Prosper has taken to ensure the quality of their nutrients. There were three I was impressed by, and two I’d never even seen before. cGMP Certified Manufacturing  More than just saying they follow the rules, they’ve actually hired inspectors to come to their facility and certify that they follow FDA recommended guidelines (only about 2 in 10 manufacturers are certified). Solid plus. Made in the USA  All of their products are not only distributed in the USA, but the ingredients are also from here. I know I’ve seen one too many weight loss products shipped in from China. No Fillers  Nowhere on their entire site did I find the use of fillers or additives in any of their products. That means I’d be getting larger quantities of healthier nutrients in every serving. Now this is where it got interesting: Double Certified Gluten Free  This is something I’ve never seen before. These guys actually certify their entire operation to be Gluten Free, TWICE! That’s not all, they also only allow 10 parts per million gluten which is half as much as the FDA actually allows. Amber Glass Bottles  A cherry on top â€" to preserve the quality of the hard-work they put into their ingredients, every product they own is packaged in amber glass bottles to protect their vegan, vegetarian capsules from sun or light damage. Having tried countless health products before, especially for maintaining healthy weight, I have a good feel for what is a good product. I tried CleanTone and it met all my above criteria. I looked at the literature, read deep into their history, and compared it with everything I had seen before. On all measures, Prospers, and CleanTone impressed me as one of the best. If you purchase before Saturday, you can save 10% on your order when you use the code MSCAREERGIRL! . Main image credit.

4 Methods to Kick Imposter Syndrome Before It Affects Your Career

4 Methods to Kick Imposter Syndrome Before It Affects Your Career Social media (and the personal branding phenomenon that keeps it ticking) can make it seem like everyone has it together. In turn, too many young women entering the workforce believe the myth that they must be perfect. Instead of letting their guards down, they put on airs and hope no one sees through the façade. And why shouldn’t they? They’re encouraged to “fake it until they make it.” If this sounds familiar, know this: You don’t need to have all the answers. No one does â€" not even the CEO who’s been with a company for 20-plus years. In fact, faking it can be detrimental.  Not showing vulnerability reduces your overall effectiveness. Faking it creates more doubts, which further erodes confidence.   Its called the imposter syndrome. Why Women Play the Imposter As a leadership coach, I’m privy to the thoughts and feelings of leaders in myriad fields. Regardless of person, leadership style, or industry, it seems everyone struggles with imposter syndrome on some level. We especially feel this during periods of growth. In facing times of uncertainty, we wonder, “Should I be here?” This is natural. What matters is how we handle those thoughts and feelings. I have an interesting example of this: Last summer, both men and women competed in the cowboy shooting competition at the Iowa State Fair. Men on horses rode past a row of balloons, shooting at each as they flew past. Women did the same, but their pace was slower and more deliberate: It seemed they needed to slow down, pausing at each balloon, to be sure they hit it. When final scores were called, the men significantly outperformed the women â€" even after receiving penalties for missed balloons. This seems to play out in the workplace as well. By avoiding risk and letting our imposter syndrome limit our actions, we remove opportunities to land positions where we can truly shine. Imposter syndrome is more than self-selectivity or being prudent â€" it’s self-sabotage. Whether or not it’s intentional, self-sabotage by women is prevalent in today’s workforce. Recent research from LinkedIn shows  that women routinely submit 20% fewer applications than men, yet when they do apply for a role, women have a 16% higher chance of snagging the job than their male counterparts. Showing our true selves isn’t easy, especially in the workplace. After all, we’re trusting that others will inherently accept us. Admitting we struggle with a certain skill could, in some workplaces, negatively impact our careers. That fear can lead to living a lie instead of projecting confidence in who we are and what we have to offer. Here’s a solution: Push forward by owning your strengths and unique approach. If you and your inner imposter are ready for change, here are four ways to do it: Build confidence by knowing, embracing, and using your strengths. The best investment you can make is understanding your top 10 Gallup CliftonStrengths (discovered after taking a simple assessment). Why? When you use your strengths in your career, you’ll discover 10% higher productivity, greater effectiveness in how you do your job, and a deeper sense of enjoyment at work. Intentionally aiming our strengths at a challenge allows us to conquer it in ways that feel natural, which means we aren’t faking it. In turn, we gain confidence from seeing how we can contribute effectively to a team or project. An action plan can help: When you get a new task, ask yourself, “Am I conducting due diligence from all angles and playing to my strengths?” Then, look at your top talent themes and see how they can be combined to do the task well. You’ll position yourself to look at every problem through your strongest lens, filling in the gaps as needed. Drop the pretense. During my first decade of teaching as an adjunct professor, I definitely experienced imposter syndrome. I didn’t hold a doctorate like other professors, so I tried to compensate by being the “perfect professor” â€" stoic, serious, and guarded. In 2011, I endured some rough personal challenges and decided to let my students in on what was happening. I dropped the pretense and acted as only myself; it made a radical difference. It became a bonding opportunity as my students opened up in ways they never had, and I became more than a teacher: I was a coach, a mentor, and even a friend. It’s surprisingly powerful to admit your weaknesses. As you drop your guard, others will, too. As others learn about your values, motivations, and intentions, they become more willing to trust because they understand why you do what you do. Own what you don’t know. People with experience know you don’t have all the answers â€" when you pretend you do, you lose their respect. Own what you don’t know, then take action to fill the gap. Don’t wait until you’re in over your head to seek advice. Learn from others around you and discover what’s been done previously. Unless you’re working in a toxic culture, peers will want to help. Just be sure you seek help in a way that respects others’ time. When I was asked to present at the  Amplify Conference, the largest evangelism training summit in North America, I realized I wasn’t familiar with the crowd. Instead of pretending I was (or simply winging it), I asked somebody with decades of experience for advice. He suggested I admit my lack of experience working in churches and with ministry organizations. So during my breakout session, that’s exactly what I did. I told participants I didn’t know their world. I followed by suggesting that my experience coaching and consulting in the business world did, in many ways, have helpful parallels. After all, leading people is hard no matter where you work. Not only did my candor set me up to win the crowd’s trust, but audience members were also receptive to my ideas. In fact, one leader used the concepts with a nonprofit board that evening and was excited to report how well it worked. Find your style. Leaders are relieved to discover there isn’t one way to lead. Finding a way that works for their own personal style is key. We must develop our own styles instead of trying to mimic someone else’s. Consider this: I’m not at my best giving a structured presentation. Instead, I prefer to work with smaller audiences, develop a loose plan, and regularly pivot based on the audience’s needs. At the beginning of my breakout session at Amplify, I asked, “What do you want to learn?” Based on attendees’ answers, I deviated completely from my original plan. For me, this was natural. Because I’m self-aware about my capabilities, I didn’t feel anxious about switching gears. In fact, I felt energized knowing I was sharing something meaningful in a way that encouraged participation. However, I wouldn’t suggest this approach for someone who prefers structure and order because that individual would ultimately feel like an imposter. As you build your leadership brand, it’s important to determine what feels most comfortable (which is often connected to your strengths). Not long ago, I coached an entrepreneurial leader who struggled to win others over â€" a strength that Gallup categorizes as Woo. He was concerned his lack of Woo would make starting a new business impossible. And while he could’ve easily gone into imposter mode and pretended to be someone who was strong in Woo, he decided to be genuine instead. We examined his top Gallup strengths and found he was effective at authentically relating to people. In fact, he tuned in to others’ needs quickly, allowing him to build solid connections in a short amount of time. Combining these strengths into a superpower, he realized he can be influential, just in a different way. Ditch The Imposter Syndrome When you’re an imposter, you miss out on the joy of true relationships and validation of the real you. Don’t trudge through your career as an imposter. Sail through it as your authentic, capable self. You’ll find it’s always easier and more gratifying to be you. This guest post was authored by Loriana Sekarski Loriana Sekarski  is founder and president of  BONSAI, a consulting company that transforms leaders (and businesses) into the best versions of themselves. As a leadership coach, Loriana teaches leaders how to hone soft skills, spur workplace engagement, and achieve untapped levels of potential. Outside of BONSAI, Loriana serves as an adjunct professor at Washington University’s graduate student program.  Additionally, she’s fine-tuning her passion project, TakeFlight, a division of BONSAI that encourages organizations, churches, and marriages to boldly live out their purpose by leveraging their strengths to achieve their God-given destiny.

Five Great Ideas to Promote Your Business

Five Great Ideas to Promote Your Business Are you one of those women who have put your career on hold to raise a family?   But your career girl side couldnt stay silent?   Take heart, youre not alone.   Many women have opted for being a mom full time, but also created a side hustle.   Using the example of a daycare business, lets take a look at what is required to promote your business. Marketing is a Must Marketing is an art form. To master it requires a deft blending of art, salesmanship, and psychology. In order to make any marketing campaign successful, the marketer needs to demonstrate a good understanding of each of these aspects and weave them together into something which is not just appealing in itself, but which also portrays whatever is being marketed in an inviting way. Marketing to children is even more complicated than usual. This is because when advertising products or services that are aimed at children, the savvy marketer is marketing simultaneously to children and their parents. When running a daycare business, it is ultimately the parents that you need to target with your marketing. After all, the children themselves aren’t going to enroll on their own! A daycare is an essential service for many American families. It is now standard for both parents to be pursuing a career and the notion of the stay at home mom is rapidly fading into the history books. That said, there are also more daycare services than ever before, all competing for valuable business. If you want your daycare business to stand out from the competition and to thrive, you will need to embrace every marketing opportunity that you can. Here are five things to keep in mind when formulating your marketing strategy. Host an Outdoor Event Outdoor events are a really fantastic way of bringing people together and a prime opportunity for some networking. The more of the local community that knows about your daycare business, and the more people within the community who would recommend your daycare to their friends, the easier you will find it to fulfill your enrollment quota. Think about some creative ways that you can put together an outdoor event. Remember, the event doesn’t have to explicitly be advertised as being for your daycare business. Instead, you could advertise it as a community barbecue or picnic. Organize some child-friendly entertainment to encourage parents to bring their kids along and, hey presto! You now have a family-friendly event that is likely to draw in both new parents and parents with young children, the exact audience you are trying to reach with your marketing. Of course, gathering all these people together in one place, while a great start, isn’t enough on its own to raise awareness of your business. In order to do that you will need to have some promotional materials ready to hand out, which brings us to our next tip. Design Some Print Materials In our increasingly digital world, it is all too easy to completely forget about the more traditional forms of advertising and marketing. Flyers, posters, business cards all of these are essential marketing tools and the most effective ways of ensuring that attendees at your event don’t forget who you and your business are as soon as they get home. When designing a flyer for your business, or for the event itself, there are some design principles that you need to be mindful of. First of all, your flyer needs to be focused and prioritize function over form. Elaborate fonts, for example, won’t help to make things any clearer. Instead, focus on making sure that text is big and bold, then you can play around with the aesthetics. Try and make sure that your flyers draw a viewer in with a header and an accompanying image. Once they are up close, then they can read the fine print, which spells out the details that they need to know. Another excellent way of taking advantage of the concentration of potential clients and customers at your event is to offer them a gift certificate for your daycare. This could, for example, offer new parents a free or discounted period of enrollment for their child. This will encourage them to give your daycare a shot. You only need to make sure that you demonstrate to them why your daycare is the best in town and they are sure to sign up after their trial period finishes. To add some flair to your gift certificates, and to show parents that presentation matters to you, use a source such as  Company Folders  to jazz them up.  Social Media Social media is a very powerful marketing tool, just take a moment to think about how many people you know who don’t have a social media profile. You could probably count them on one hand! The potential audience you can reach on social media is enormous, but for your daycare, you are really just aiming at local people. Well, you’re covered there too! Most places now have a Facebook group for local people to converse, to buy and sell goods, and to discuss local events. See if you can find such a group for your local area (if one doesn’t exist, why not make it yourself?) and then get involved in discussions. Remember, however, that you need to approach the situation with a little tact and class. If you dive straight in and ask people to enroll in your daycare, without making any attempt to introduce yourself, this can backfire and end up putting people off rather than drawing them in. It is better to take the time to look around and comment on a few other local threads. Join in some discussions so that people can see that you care about the local area for more than just making money. Get Parents to Spread the Word Word of mouth counts for a lot, especially when it comes to things like daycare. Parents want to be absolutely certain that the place and people looking after their kids are up to the job and nothing will demonstrate this better than a recommendation from another parent. It is likely that any parent who currently has a child at your daycare will discuss it with their friends, especially if their friends are pregnant or have a baby. A good way of giving them a soft nudge of encouragement is to offer some kind of referral reward. Under such a scheme, when a new parent enrolls their child at your daycare and is filling in an application form, you add a question to the form asking if any current parent recommended you to them. If a parent is named as a referrer, then you offer them a reward. This could be a discount on their next bill, or perhaps a gift card for a local business. Anything you can do to encourage parents to spread the word will benefit your business. Network Have a look for any local parenting or pre-natal and mom-to-be groups in your local area. Speak with the organizers and ask if they would mind you coming to give a presentation and discuss your services with their members. In exchange, you could offer to advertise the group to parents at your daycare. This kind of reciprocal networking is an excellent opportunity for both parties to expand their respective networks. The daycare market is becoming more and more competitive. While there are now more families where both parents work, and who require a daycare, parents are also becoming far pickier. With a higher concentration of daycare options in most places than there used to be, it is no longer enough to simply be the most convenient option. Take the time to get your business out there and to show parents why they should choose you over the competition.

SHL Test - a Common Pre-employment Test That Is Very Tough CareerMetis.com

SHL Test - a Common Pre-employment Test That Is Very Tough The SHL Testis a common test that is given to candidates in the hiring process to determine critical thinking skills with restricted time to complete the test.It’s used mainly in the United Kingdom and the United States for large companies that strive off big decisions that can cost a lot of money. More prestigious companies with huge staffs are using the SHL test all the time and for good reason â€" if you can stay calm and pass the SHL Test, then you should be able to handle most of the situations that come your way in the run of a workweek.evalCompanies use the SHL Testto help them decide if a candidate is able to handle strict deadlines, make big decisions, and is able to maintain a calm composure during a hectic, busy time.What Companies Use SHL Tests?There are some huge companies that use pre-employment tests like the SHL test and more before hiring someone. Some companies used them even before conducting 1-on-1 interviews.Below are a few of the most well-known companies usin g these type of assessment tests:AmazonHSBCAir FranceMercury EnergyDublin Airport AuthorityEricssonAnd many more!SHL Tests are not easy, and that’s the point. Companies can easily cut candidates and get to the cream of the crop with these tests, and that’s why these above companies use it to help them hire the best people.These days, even company leaders have been taking assessment testslike the SHL test because they have proved to be such an effective way to determine the type of person you are. They challenge your critical thinking, keep you sharp mentally, and help you keep yourself grounded.More About SHL TestsAs we mentioned, SHL Tests are known to be very difficult, with an average passing rate of 20% or less. There are tough time restrictions when taking these tests and unique questions are the main factor being many candidates being caught unpreparedMost companies will not surprise people on the spot with an SHL Test Even if you have extensive education and work experien ce behind you, the SHL test may be tough for you. It will be unlike most of the other tests you’ve taken and it is based more on critical thinking then it is knowledge of the industry or the field.One common issue when candidates go into SHL tests is having them underestimate the difficulty of the test and the process. This assessment test was created to be very challenging so companies can trust the process and they know they’re finding the best candidates.6 Categories of SHL TestsThere are six main categories of SHL tests that are available for companies to use on candidates.Here are the six different categories you might come across:1) Numerical Reasoning. evalThis test covers a wide range of math topics, allowing the company to assess the candidate’s ability to deal with complex questions in a short amount of time. Calculators are able to be used, but you’ll still need to know what you’re looking at.2) Verbal Reasoning. evalThis test covers topics from conventional log ic questions to different analogies you may come across in everyday work life. The questions here will assess the candidate’s capability to handle the passing of verbal information and how they can navigate the English language.3) Abstract Reasoning.Logical decisions to tough situations will be tested in this test. It’s similar to culture language-neutral IQ tests and will assess your ability to make decisions when time is short and the outcome is important.4) Mechanical Comprehension. This test covers a candidate’s ability to figure out solutions to mechanical issues. This portion of SHL tests is usually given early on in the screening process because the mechanical aspect of certain jobs is so important.5) Inductive Reasoning. evalThis test addresses the person’s ability to look at the similarities between items and using shapes or patterns to show the relationship.6) Spatial Awareness.Candidates will need to comprehend spatial dimensions and need to answer questions abou t reflection and rotation.SHL Test Passing RateThe passing rate of the SHL tests is very low. Even experienced and educated people struggle with these tests and come out of it shocked by how poorly they did. These tests are unlike most other tests you’ll ever make, especially in the interview process for a job.The time restraints make things very tough and the tests now have such a tough reputation that people go into them feeling intimidated and scared. Only 1 in 5 people pass the test so it’s understandable for people to be nervous.I recommend not looking too deep into the low passing rate because there is no recipe for success when taking an SHL test. Some very qualified people struggle with this test while inexperienced new graduates who are used to taking tests can do quite well.How to Prepare for SHL TestsInterviews are stressful. I know it, you know it, we all know!evalPeople look for things they can do to make an interview less stressfuland hectic and, in turn, they up t heir chances of getting the position. The job interview process is everything and it’s not easy, especially if an SHL test comes up.There are a few things to think about when taking mock SHL tests and getting ready to go into an SHL test.Accuracy:the rate at which you choose the right answer.Time: the time it takes for you to get through the SHL questions.There’s no way to get ready for SHL tests other than doing actual tests, as well as some great mock SHL tests that have popped up over the last few years. These mock tests can help you get mentally tough so an SHL test won’t come right out of the left field and completely surprise you.By using these mock tests and getting exposed to questions that may be presented in SHL tests, you are ensuring that you can answer these types of questions accurately and effectively.The Right Mindset To Take An SHL TestGetting in the correct mindset before taking an SHL test is important. This isn’t a typical interview where you talk with so meone 1-on-1 and chat about your past experiences and education. We’re talking about taking an intense, thought-provoking SHL test that will ask you tough questions.evalThere are a few things you can do the night before and as you head into taking a test:Complete an intense workout. It all depends on when you’re taking the SHL test, but an intense workout the night before or the morning of will remove any jitters you have and free your mind to feel energized.Get comfortable. I said it before, but figure out how you feel most comfortable and go through the process before taking your SHL test. A comfortable mind will perform better under pressure.Get some quiet time. I would recommend taking an hour for you to get away from preparing for the test with some quiet time. Find a quiet place and try to empty your mind of all thinking. Enjoy the silence and the time away from everything that is stressful and busy.Get some sleep. Make sure you get a good night’s sleep the night before so you’ll wake up feeling refreshed and recharged. Sleep is the best energizer for your mind and is very important before heading into an SHL test.Eat some food. Another great energizer is food. It will fire you up and provide fuel for your body and mind so you can put all of your efforts into the test. I recommend eating for one hour or so before taking the test.ConclusionAs we’ve talked about to extent, SHL tests are tough. The situations they are given in, the time restraints, and the questions themselves make taking an SHL test an intimidating experience.The best thing someone can do when they know they are taking an SHL test is to try and get as prepared as they can. Through mock tests and reading online articles, you can get a feel for what’s to come and you can mentally psyche yourself up.These tests are not easy and a bit of preparation can be the difference between passing one of these tests â€" and failing. An assessment test like the SHL test might not be the differ ence between getting a job and not getting it, but it might be, and it’s better to be prepared.

You CAN Ace Those Phone Interviews

You CAN Ace Those Phone Interviews 6 Tricks to Acing Phone Interviews   You can’t see  them,  and they can’t see you. Does that make you afraid  of  phone interviews?  As the cost of travel increases, the pressure for companies to be more efficient and effective during the hiring process also increases.  Phone calls are used  more and more  by hiring companies to recruit, screen, and interview.   What does that mean for you? You need to be prepared to be as amazing on the phone as you are in a face-to-face meeting! Now,  how will you sell yourself as the BEST product for the hiring company to buy…over the phone?   Advantages  of Phone Interviews   You get to cheat! YES, you should have multiple sheets of paper in front of you    don’t try to navigate on a PC while talking.  At the minimum, have:   Your résumé.   The job description, complete  with any notes or questions you have.   Hard copies  of key webpages for the company (About, Divisions, People, Values).   Top  interview  questions  you expect to be asked  and your 3 bullet-point answers  for each  one.   Top questions you want to ask them.   Paper and pen to write down the questions they are asking and to take notes of their comments, insights, and answers. You will need these for the thank you note you will write immediately following  the interview!   With all this information at your fingertips  you should be able to have great answers and  clearly  express your interest in the position.  Don’t forget to ask to move to the next phase of the interview process!   Disadvantages  of Phone Interviews   (Good news:  You  CAN  overcome them!)   You will have a tendency to ramble. No, you  will  ramble. You are nervous, you want to  convey  so many points, and  you receive  no clues on how you are doing.     It’s harder to understand the question.  This can  happen  for  a variety of reasons:  English as a second language for one or both of you, the interviewer talks quickly, OR the question was just unclear.     You can’t read their non-verbal body language. You don’t know if they are smiling or rolling their eyes. They can’t see your hand motions or  make  eye contact.     Time will run out and you may not have said all you wanted to  say. Tricks  to Ace  Your  Phone Interview Trick #1:  â€œThe Law of Threes:” Say no more than 3 things and stop talking. Repeat: Say no more than 3 things and SHUT UP. This will not only  keep  you from rambling, it  also  gives  the interviewer  time to  think and make notes.     Take a breath. If the interviewer wants more,  he or  she will ask. If you are concerned it was too brief,  then you can ask, “Would you like me to elaborate on any of the points?”   Trick #2:  Ask for Clarification: If you didn’t understand the question, then ask  them  to repeat it. This is not a sign of weakness and it’s important that you answer the right question. Just try not to do this on every question.     Two ways to ask: “Would  you repeat the question please?” or “Would  you expand on the  question,  so I am clear what  it is  you are looking for?”   Trick #3:  Stand Up and Smile! Unless the interview is a web conference,  you can’t see  them  and they can’t see you,  so  stand up when  you’re  on the phone. Your voice will project better and you’ll sound more confident. If you have a headset, use your hands too. Nobody is seeing you, but if it helps you to be in a presentation mode, then do it. I do!     Did you know that smiles come through the phone? Yes, when you  say something  like, “Ms. Miller, I believe I am the best candidate for your position because I’m _____, ____ and ____,” there is a different tonal inflection  when  you have a smile. They will hear a more up-beat, positive candidate.     Trick #4:  Have the Last Word: Time will run out. Toward the end, most interviewers  will  ask if you have any questions. Naturally, you will have  prepared  some excellent questions based on your research. However, that should not be the end.     If the interviewer then says, “Well, Mr. Jones, thank you very much for your time and we will be in touch,” then you want to  add:  â€œMs. Miller, thank  you  very for your time. I would like to reinforce that I  am  passionate about this position and believe I have the skills to be successful in this role. Do you believe I will go to the next step in the hiring process?”   Trick #5:  Block Prep and  â€œTravel”  Time:   Block 30 minutes before  and after  the phone interview in your calendar.  The most  common excuse I hear for being late for a phone interview is, “Sorry, I was on another call.” Well, then you should not have  scheduled back-to-back!   Trick #6:  Be Ready for Video: Beware!  An invitation  to a SKYPE call or a  link to a webinar  is an indicator that it  could  be video. Better to be over-prepared and ready to be seen.  Simply wear professional attire above the waist and check that your video camera and microphone function properly.     Embrace the future!  Phone interviews are here to stay,  and you can  ace  them! Prepare, practice,  and perform to earn the opportunity to get a face-to-face interview next! Join Dana Manciagli’s Job Search Master Class ® right now and immediately access the most comprehensive job search system currently available!

Report Writing on a Resume

Report Writing on a ResumeWhen you are choosing to write a resume and find that it is written on a different style than what you are used to, you may feel that your job interview could be ruined. If you understand the different formatting techniques that are available to get your resume to look the way you want it to, you can avoid getting this kind of surprise at the interview.Using a custom template to start your resume will give you the best results, regardless of how good your writing skills are. Using a template also ensures that the resume looks professional resumes stand out from the rest. A resume with a built-in template is usually formatted for Microsoft Word documents, although some employers will accept these templates as well. The end result is that you have a format for any document that you might want to use in your resume.Before you can apply this particular template to your resume, however, you must understand how to write a good report. There are actually many types of reports that may need to be placed on a resume and it is a good idea to get the basic rules for this kind of writing down. There are two basic types of writing on a resume, listing the jobs and listing the experience. In order to prepare a report for listing the jobs, you must list the job in the heading, followed by the name of the position. Then the title should follow this same format.In order to list the experience, you simply list the position's responsibilities and the number of years you have spent working in that job. Most employers will allow you to provide other information about your work experiences, so you do not need to add this to the summary section of your resume. You should write in a concise way, if you are going to include an amount of experience. You can go over this information with the employer.Writing on a resume is very similar to writingin a report. In addition to making sure that you do not skip any sections of your report, you should be aware of the f ormatting conventions for each format. It is important to be clear and concise when using this format, but it is also a good idea to include all of the necessary information about yourself as well. This will make your job much easier when the interview is finished.In the first sentence of your report, you should list your name and the contact information for your firm. In the first paragraph of your resume, you should write about your skills and what you have done for your current or past employer. Use these words, 'Worked as:'. The last paragraph is where you discuss what you will do for your future employer.Start by listing the main duties of your job and the specific time that you worked for them, which should be somewhere in the middle of your work history. For each year that you worked, put this information in the next two paragraphs of your report. For each job that you worked on, include what you did for the position. This information should be listed in a separate paragraph that comes after your title in the first paragraph.By following this format, you will create a good format for a resume. If you keep it simple and do not skip any sections of your resume, you should find that you are able to provide a good report that is read more carefully than one that has been a little sloppy.