Job Interview Tips

Job interviewing never seems to get any easier - even when you have gone on more interviews than you can count. You are meeting new people, selling yourself and your skills, and often getting the third degree about what you know or don't know. Here are job interview tips to help prepare you to interview effectively. Proper preparation which help alleviate some of the stress involved in job interviews.

Job Interview Tips

Practice

Practice answering interview questions and practice your responses to the typical job interview questions and answers most employers ask. Think of actual examples you can use to describe your skills. Providing evidence of your successes is a great way to promote your candidacy.

Prepare

Prepare a response so you are ready for the question "What do you know about our company. Know the interviewer's name and use it during the job interview. If you're not sure of the name, call and ask prior to the interview. Try to relate what you know about the company when answering questions.


Watch

Take a look at my Job Interview Tips Videos, so you'll be sure to dazzle a potential employer and leave the right impression.


Get Ready

Make sure your interview attire is neat, tidy and appropriate for the type of firm you are interviewing with. Bring a nice portfolio with copies of your resume. Include a pen and paper for note taking.

Be On Time

Be on time for the interview. On time means five to ten minutes early. If need be, take some time to drive to the office ahead of time so you know exactly where you are going and how long it will take to get there.

Stay Calm

During the job interview try to relax and stay as calm possible. Take a moment to regroup. Maintain eye contact with the interviewer. Listen to the entire question before you answer and pay attention - you will be embarrassed if you forget the question!

Show What You Know

Try to relate what you know about the company when answering questions. When discussing your career accomplishments match them to what the company is looking for.

Follow Up

Always follow-up with a thank you note reiterating your interest in the position. If you interview with multiple people send each one a thank you note.

7 ways to be more approachable

Approachability is a powerful factor in building both a satisfying social life and a fruitful career. By welcoming new faces into your life, you’ll automatically have more experiences, different perspectives, lots more fun — and, of course, more dates.

With that in mind, here are some painless ways to connect with new people… and not just on Twitter!

1. Host some informal get-togethers
Television shows make it look like constantly hanging out with a huge group of friends is a piece of cake. Really, though, how many people actually have neighbors that fly into their apartment every two minutes? You have to get crafty if you want to grow your social world. Start by cleaning your bathroom and having some people over.

Nicole Relyea, 29, a freelance writer in Denver, CO, hosts an informal “Odd Tuesday” potluck every other week. “Before, if I struck up a conversation with someone and we hit it off, usually once the event was over, so was our single-serving friendship,” she explains. “But now I always have something to invite someone to in the future.” Relyea’s potlucks started small, with just a handful of friends (and a few Dorito-centric meals), but over time, they grew into something of a phenomenon. She now estimates that more than 250 people have attended over the years. Friends-of-friends are always welcome at her place, and the key to emulating Relyea’s success is to keep such gatherings informal. If someone can’t make it this time, there’s always another one coming up. “I chose a potluck because everybody’s got to eat, and if people had nothing else in common, they could talk about the food,” she says.




2. Let your nerd flag fly
Sarah Vowell, best-selling author and NPR darling, once wrote: “Being a nerd —which is. to say, going too far and caring too much about a subject — is the best way to make friends I know of.” Sometimes we feel we should keep a lid on our passions when we meet new people, lest we come off as somewhat weird. But nerds are hot right now — just ask Mark Zuckerberg or the cast of The Big Bang Theory. As long as you up the ante slowly, there’s no harm in copping to your extensive knowledge of presidential pets or string theory. Just be careful not to give anyone a lecture.

3. Keep smiling
It might seem obvious, but there’s probably no simpler way to be more approachable than smiling. Researcher Darren W. Campbell, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Manitoba, conducted a study in which participants decided whether they would approach a pictured person to share a table or not. “Faces with mildly positive emotional expressions are more approachable than those with neutral facial expressions,” Campbell says. “Other research shows that a neutral facial expression is not always experienced as neutral. It is experienced as mildly negative.” Did you get that? Even if you believe you’re projecting a neutral vibe, others won’t see it that way. When you’re out and want to be chatted up by others, think of something amusing so your face reflects positivity.

4. Buy a ticket, not a trinket
Tempted to buy a new wardrobe to attract others? Think twice! While looking good certainly doesn’t hurt, you might get more bang for your buck out of spending your extra dough on experiences rather than objects. Ryan Howell, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at San Francisco State University, conducted a study in which 154 people answered questions about a recent purchase or experience. Participants who wrote about experiences showed a higher satisfaction at the time and afterward. One reason for this is that positive experiences often involve some sort of social bonding. People need people, and enjoying new experiences can lead to making new friends in a way that a new Blu-ray player or pair of pearl earrings probably never could.

5. Help others connect
Shy about meeting new people? You aren’t the only one! If you frame your goal as helping someone even less outgoing than yourself, you’ll forget your nerves and become the smooth one. “If you are in a social situation and are shy, look around for another person who seems to be in the same boat,” councils Georgia Beaverson, an editor and graduate student at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. “Make it your ‘job’ to get to know that person and make him or her feel comfortable. This has been a wonderful way to get over my own shyness and large-group discomfort.” Diane Penzenstadler, the owner of Encore Event Planning in Oshkosh, WI, agrees: “I like to ‘tag team’ with someone, or help someone else get connected. It takes the pressure off of me and I get to meet new people as well.”

6. Embrace your imperfections and just say something, already
Wayne Elise, dating coach and CharismaArts.com founder, is sympathetic to those who get scared when they want to approach an attractive stranger… really! But at some point, you just have to get over it, he says: “I understand that we can’t always be our best while feeling nervous. But you have to approach people anyway. Perfect timing doesn’t exist. You’ll never recite the perfect line. Those who seek perfection do nothing.” Lower the stakes in your mind and focus on projecting sincerity. Remember that when you meet new people, there doesn’t have to be an end goal involved. “So many people seem to be focused on trying to get achievement badges instead of actually enjoying someone’s company,” Elise continues, “as if meeting and dating is a video game. If you are focused on getting a phone number or a kiss or nailing down a date, then you’re making yourself less attractive. Just be in the moment, having fun with the person you’re with. That’s when you are at your most charismatic and appealing to others.”

7. Be happy… just don’t fake it
No problem, right? While that might sound like a tall order, it’s a fact: genuinely happy people are more alluring than unhappy people. If you make finding your own inner peace a goal, you will attract others without even trying. After all, they will want to know your secret. Sit down and think about what you really like to do. Listen to scratchy blues records? Climb mountains? Whatever floats your boat, get out there and just do it. Of course, there’s more to happiness than just having fun. Take care of yourself by getting enough sleep, exercise, and healthy food. Take care of others by reaching out to help someone who needs it, volunteer, or just pay attention when others speak.

5 Top Tips To Win More With Any Lottery

Here's 5 top tips to bear in mind next time you complete your lottery playslip. They won't increase your CHANCES of winning - because ONLY more entries can do that.

BUT they can significantly increase the AMOUNT you win when your numbers do come up.

How?

Because all 5 lottery tips are based on avoiding the way a lot of other people pick their numbers. If you pick lottery numbers the same way as most people do, then when you hit the jackpot, you share that prize with everybody else who picked the same numbers.

That can turn a jackpot pool of millions into a prize of just thousands! It happens all too often - so please don't let it happen to you.

Here's those quick tips for making sure that your lottery jackpot is the life changing sum you are looking for:

[1] Don't pick numbers that have already won, especially not from recent draws. Many players believe that winnings numbers are somehow lucky and therefore more likely to come up. Of course that isn't true, but a lot of people do it.

[2] Don't pick numbers based on an arithmetic sequences, such as 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, or 01, 11, 21, 31, 41, 49. People like number patterns - you would be stunned at how many people pick this way every single week.

[3] Don't pick numbers according to a 'tip' service. Just imagine how many other people will use the same numbers!

[4] Don't pick numbers purely according to family birthdays. Enormous numbers of lottery players choose the day of the birthday of family members when selecting lottery numbers. But there are only 31 days at most in a month - which means an awful lot of people pick all their numbers in that range.

[5] Don't make a pattern on your playslip. Diagonal or straight lines in any direction, star shapes, boxes, zig-zags etc. You might think who else would do that? The answer is anywhere from tens of people to tens of THOUSANDS of people!

The easiest, fastest way to pick better lottery numbers, is to pick them totally at random. So pull scraps of paper out of a bag. It won't guarantee NOT picking a 'bad' set of numbers, but at least there's a good chance you won't be sharing your lottery millions with a hundred other 'lucky' winners.

Spring clean your beauty regimen

Those heavy foundations and dark makeup shades may have worked for winter, but warmer weather calls for a whole new beauty routine.  Spring2011's best trends all involve an array of bright, fresh colors and smarter methods of skincare. We caught up with some of the country's top beauty bloggers who revealed their favorite tricks for updating your beauty regimen starting today.

1. Toss the old: Before your bring in the new, you’ve got to clean out the old. Last spring's sunscreen is so last spring.  “Toss anything with an SPF that's more than a year old, especially if it's separated or a weird consistency because it can lose its efficacy,” suggests beauty blogger Karla Sugar.  You can also trash any dried-out skincare products with crusty caps and foundations that don’t look the way they used to. “You can tell when makeup has gone bad when it changes consistency, color, or smell,” advised Sugar. “But powders, for instance, almost never go bad.” 

2. Build a better toolbox: Visibility is the key to a new and improved beauty regimen. “The same principles you use to organize your closet are true for your makeup: you won't use what you can't see,” says Sugar. For organization, she believes in the power of home goods stores.  “Buy a small toolbox,” says Sugar. “They tend to have shallow drawers which are perfect for storing makeup.”  She also recommends small vases for storing make-up brushes, brush side up. "

3. Hold the oil: You know that layer of cream you lathered on your face in winter? Dead weight. “The thick, emollient creams that work well in winter are often too heavy come spring,” warns Annie Tomlin of Bella Sugar. “I think many people think that one cream will serve their needs all year, but our skin responds to the seasons, so it needs to change with time, too.” For spring, try an oil-free product with glycerin, a light-weight ingredient that moisturizes without clogging pores. 

4. SPF better: A new breed of sun-protecting products have emerged in recent months. Instead of the standard lotions, now sunscreen comes as a mousse for a lighter all-over covering, sprays for SPF touch-ups without smearing your makeup, and serums to block the sun without leaving a chalky residue. Extra strength SPF is also doing double-time in make-up primers, self-tanners, concealers and even lipsticks. "But skip the heavy, pore-clogging foundations and powders," advises Fashionista beauty editor Cheryl Wischhover. “Instead try a lighter, tinted moisturizer with SPF.” 
 
5.  Go green: Natural beauty isn't just a passing fad anymore. “I see more women giving eco-friendly, sustainable skin care another try,” .Tomlin says. “Today’s formulas are infinitely better than those of even five years ago.” Look for the words "paraben-free" on lotions and lipsticks, and "mineral-based" on loose powder bases. Both are free of preservatives found in standard skincare and cosmetics that have been linked to certain hormone-based health conditions.

6. Add neon: Lips are getting electrified this season. On the runways of Jill Sander, Fendi and Diane Von Furstenburg, bold, lightening-bright pouts were the hottest accessory adorning spring lines.  “Invest in an orange lipstick or gloss this season,” says Wischhover, “whether it's pinky-coral or full-on orange.”  But traffic-light lips require sharp definition, so use a lip primer and matching liner around your lip line to keep the shape and prevent the color from spreading. 

6. Perfect your tone: Skin tone correctors are big this spring, according to Wischover. These spot-erasing serums and ointments are designed to combat hyper-pigmentation, scarring and age spots to enhance the overall look of your skin. They’re usually spot applied to clean skin before moisturizers to reduce the signs of sun damage for a brighter, more even tone in a matter of weeks. 

7. Start your lab: The latest crop of anti-aging products sound more like chemistry kits than beauty products, but that's not a bad thing. Peptides, which produce collagen and elastin to tighten the skin, and antioxidants, which fight free-radicals responsible for fine lines, are becoming popular ingredients in anti-wrinkle creams and serums. But the biggest buzz in beauty? “Plant stem cells are the hot new thing,” says Wischhover. “That one's been coming slowly over the past few years, but it’s about to be much more common.” A small number of pricy products on the market, contain non-embryonic stem cells derived from plant extracts that promise to increase the skin’s ability to regenerate and reverse the signs of aging. But if you can't afford to drop $100 on your skin just yet, buy some time and lather on the SPF mousse.

Docs warn about Facebook use and teen depression

CHICAGO – Add "Facebook depression" to potential harms linked with social media, an influential doctors' group warns, referring to a condition it says may affect troubled teens who obsess over the online site.

Researchers disagree on whether it's simply an extension of depression some kids feel in other circumstances, or a distinct condition linked with using the online site.

But there are unique aspects of Facebook that can make it a particularly tough social landscape to navigate for kids already dealing with poor self-esteem, said Dr. Gwenn O'Keeffe, a Boston-area pediatrician and lead author of new American Academy of Pediatrics social media guidelines.

With in-your-face friends' tallies, status updates and photos of happy-looking people having great times, Facebook pages can make some kids feel even worse if they think they don't measure up.

It can be more painful than sitting alone in a crowded school cafeteria or other real-life encounters that can make kids feel down, O'Keeffe said, because Facebook provides a skewed view of what's really going on. Online, there's no way to see facial expressions or read body language that provide context.

The guidelines urge pediatricians to encourage parents to talk with their kids about online use and to be aware of Facebook depression, cyberbullying, sexting and other online risks. They were published online Monday in Pediatrics.

Abby Abolt, 16, a Chicago high school sophomore and frequent Facebook user, says the site has never made her feel depressed, but that she can understand how it might affect some kids.

"If you really didn't have that many friends and weren't really doing much with your life, and saw other peoples' status updates and pictures and what they were doing with friends, I could see how that would make them upset," she said.

"It's like a big popularity contest — who can get the most friend requests or get the most pictures tagged," she said.

Also, it's common among some teens to post snotty or judgmental messages on the Facebook walls of people they don't like, said Gaby Navarro, 18, a senior from Grayslake, Ill. It's happened to her friends, and she said she could imagine how that could make some teens feel depressed.

"Parents should definitely know" about these practices," Navarro said. "It's good to raise awareness about it."

The academy guidelines note that online harassment "can cause profound psychosocial outcomes," including suicide. The widely publicized suicide of a 15-year-old Massachusetts girl last year occurred after she'd been bullied and harassed, in person and on Facebook.

"Facebook is where all the teens are hanging out now. It's their corner store," O'Keeffe said.

She said the benefits of kids using social media sites like Facebook shouldn't be overlooked, however, such as connecting with friends and family, sharing pictures and exchanging ideas.

"A lot of what's happening is actually very healthy, but it can go too far," she said.

Dr. Megan Moreno, a University of Wisconsin adolescent medicine specialist who has studied online social networking among college students, said using Facebook can enhance feelings of social connectedness among well-adjusted kids, and have the opposite effect on those prone to depression.

Parents shouldn't get the idea that using Facebook "is going to somehow infect their kids with depression," she said.

3 tips for dealing with jealousy

One of the things that makes “jealousy” such a loaded word is that it’s really a concoction of various other emotions, the exact recipe for which depends on the individual. As Dr. Scott Haltzman, author of The Secrets of Happily Married Men, phrases it, jealousy “is the fear or worry that someone with whom you have an emotional relationship may be experiencing an attraction toward another person... it generates a host of emotions, such as sadness and inadequacy, or rage and desire for retribution. The sadness comes from the fear of losing the object of your love, and the rage comes from a desire to have it back.”

Fear, worry, sadness, inadequacy, rage — as stark as those emotions sound, you may be surprised to learn that a little jealousy is perfectly healthy (and even normal) in a relationship. No jealousy at all — or huge, seething buckets of it — are a good indication that something has gone amiss. So how do you know if you’re feeling the “right” amount of jealousy, and how do you express it without driving your significant other crazy? Here are some tips.

1. Be honest with yourself. According to Dr. Ish Major, author of Little White Whys: A No Nonsense Guide to the Lies Men Tell in Relationships and Why, some men feel so secure in themselves and in the fidelity of their partners that they experience no jealous feelings whatsoever. Aside from these lucky guys, Major says, most men who refuse to admit to jealousy fall into one of two camps: either “they aren’t paying attention and have no clue that they should feel jealous,” or “they simply don’t care... this type of guy would be more than happy if someone (other than himself) would come and sweep a partner off of her feet and right out of his life.”

Clearly, it’s better to acknowledge (at least to yourself, and perhaps to trusted friends or relatives) the little bit of jealousy you do feel, rather than letting it fester for weeks or months only to explode at a melodramatic moment. Sometimes, just sitting down and writing in a journal will help you to objectively assess your feelings; perusing a hastily scribbled entry, like “Mamie should have been home from the grocery store 20 minutes ago! I KNOW she’s been flirting with the floor manager!” will hopefully make you feel ridiculous enough that you’ll do something more productive than obsessing over your significant other.

2. Express your feelings appropriately. Sometimes, as with that grocery store fantasy, jealousy-provoking scenarios are best left unshared with your partner. If you do decide to unload, Dr. Haltzman says, you should keep in mind that “expressing jealousy is a double-edged sword. It says ‘I care about you enough to be jealous,’ but it also says ‘I don’t trust you.’ I think it’s more important to talk about the experiences that lead to jealousy rather the jealousy itself. So instead of saying ‘I’m really jealous of the time you’re spending with Tommy,’ you might say, ‘I have to admit, I’m a little jealous that you and Tommy went to the movies and then went out afterward.’”

Granted, very few people can discuss their jealous feelings so rationally and calmly. Says Dr. Major, “It’s rarely helpful to express full-fledged anger over an issue that has made you jealous. You can never control a person to determine who flirts with whom and what their respective responses are; just make sure you’re doing everything you should as a mate, because you’re the only one you can fully control in this equation.” What are the signs that you’ve taken your jealous feelings too far? One clue, Dr. Major quips, is that “you notice children and strangers looking on in horror and snapping pictures of you with their phones.”

3. If you’re not feeling it, don’t be afraid to fake it. “Some, if not most, women are absolutely flattered when their partners get jealous,” says Dr. Major. “Think Marilyn Monroe. Think Scarlett O’Hara. For women, a partner’s jealousy serves a multitude of purposes, not the least of which is letting them know they still ‘have it’ and somebody wants it. It also lets them know you’re paying attention and you care.” Not surprisingly, Dr. Major adds, “I am a strong advocate of feigned jealousy. I have used it personally and at times I’ve advised friends and patients to do the same.”

Dr. Haltzman points out, of course, that feigning jealousy (and expressing it) can have unforeseen consequences. “Some women worry that if a guy isn’t jealous, he might not care enough about her. Early in the courtship, she might use jealousy to get the man to pay more attention. If he seems disinterested, she’ll go off and talk to someone else and becomes a more ‘valuable’ partner because other people are attracted to her.” The trouble, Dr. Haltzman concludes, is that “if a woman is used to seeing jealousy as proof of attraction, she may worry when the jealousy disappears” — leading to a vicious cycle of jealousy and jealousy-provoking behavior. What’s the lesson in all of this? Tread carefully when feeling or expressing jealousy, but a little bit can be a good thing!

10 tips for better sleep

If you're having trouble sleeping, change your sleep habits for a better night's rest.

Feeling crabby lately? It could be you aren't getting enough sleep. Work, household responsibilities and child care can make sleep difficult to come by. Factor in other unexpected challenges, such as financial worries, layoffs, relationship issues or an illness, and quality sleep may be even more elusive.

You may not be able to control or eliminate all of the factors that interfere with your sleep, but you can create an environment and adopt habits that encourage a more restful night. Try these suggestions if you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep:

1. Go to bed and get up at about the same time every day, even on the weekends. Sticking to a schedule helps reinforce your body's sleep-wake cycle and can help you fall asleep more easily at night.
2. Don't eat or drink large amounts before bedtime. Eat a light dinner at least two hours before sleeping. If you're prone to heartburn, avoid spicy or fatty foods, which can make your heartburn flare and prevent a restful sleep. Also, limit how much you drink before bed. Too much liquid can cause you to wake up repeatedly during the night for trips to the toilet.
3. Avoid nicotine, caffeine and alcohol in the evening.These are stimulants that can keep you awake. Smokers often experience withdrawal symptoms at night, and smoking in bed is dangerous. Avoid caffeine for eight hours before your planned bedtime. Your body doesn't store caffeine, but it takes many hours to eliminate the stimulant and its effects. And although often believed to be a sedative, alcohol actually disrupts sleep.
4. Exercise regularly. Regular physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, can help you fall asleep faster and make your sleep more restful. However, for some people, exercising right before bed may make getting to sleep more difficult.
5. Make your bedroom cool, dark, quiet and comfortable.Create a room that's ideal for sleeping. Adjust the lighting, temperature, humidity and noise level to your preferences. Use blackout curtains, eye covers, earplugs, extra blankets, a fan or white-noise generator, a humidifier or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs.
6. Sleep primarily at night. Daytime naps may steal hours from nighttime slumber. Limit daytime sleep to about a half-hour and make it during midafternoon. If you work nights, keep your window coverings closed so that sunlight, which adjusts the body's internal clock, doesn't interrupt your sleep. If you have a day job and sleep at night, but still have trouble waking up, leave the window coverings open and let the sunlight help awaken you.
7. Choose a comfortable mattress and pillow. Features of a good bed are subjective and differ for each person. But make sure you have a bed that's comfortable. If you share your bed, make sure there's enough room for two. Children and pets are often disruptive, so you may need to set limits on how often they sleep in bed with you.
8. Start a relaxing bedtime routine. Do the same things each night to tell your body it's time to wind down. This may include taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to soothing music. Relaxing activities done with lowered lights can help ease the transition between wakefulness and sleepiness.
9. Go to bed when you're tired and turn out the lights. If you don't fall asleep within 15 to 20 minutes, get up and do something else. Go back to bed when you're tired. Don't agonize over falling asleep. The stress will only prevent sleep.
10. Use sleeping pills only as a last resort. Check with your doctor before taking any sleep medications. He or she can make sure the pills won't interact with your other medications or with an existing medical condition. Your doctor can also help you determine the best dosage. If you do take a sleep medication, reduce the dosage gradually when you want to quit, and never mix alcohol and sleeping pills. If you feel sleepy or dizzy during the day, talk to your doctor about changing the dosage or discontinuing the pills.

Nearly everyone has occasional sleepless nights. But if you have trouble sleeping on a regular or frequent basis, see your doctor. You could have a sleep disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome. Identifying and treating the cause of your sleep disturbance can help get you back on the road to a good night's sleep.