Great Answers to Tough Interview Questions

How do you get that perfect job?

Let's get it straight - there isn't an answer that applies to everyone. It depends...

Begin by asking yourself some fundamental questions.

Do you have a job right now? If so, what's wrong with it? Make certain you don't walk into another job that's even worse. Lots of people have started job-hunting on impulse after that bad report, row with the boss, or Monday morning blues. Do you really want to put in time and effort just to get yourself into a worse situation than you are in now? Research is the key to a better job. And part of that research is knowing exactly what's wrong with the job you have right now. Think this through carefully - talk about it with your partner or a friend you can trust. Try to pin down all the reasons why you want to leave your present position. Put the facts on paper, leave it for a few days, then look at it again. Do you still feel the same?

Second, what's your time frame? If you hate your job so much, how long can you wait before you find that perfect opportunity? If you don't have a job - how quickly do you need to find one? Getting the best possible job demands serious research before you even begin to apply. The longer you have, the better your chances of pinpointing the right vacancy.

How serious are you?

* If you are unemployed you should regard your job search as a job in itself. Spend as much time on job hunting as you intend to spend at work.

* Act professionally:

- use all your organizing and communication skills

- if you think you are someone special - demonstrate it in the way you go about getting your job

- be systematic - develop a system for targeting, tracking and recording your job search efforts

* Are you motivated (pro-active, a go-getter) - don't just go for any vacancy. Be selective and target vacancies carefully.

Career choice

If you are certain about the kind of work you want to do - skip this section. But wait! How much thought did you put into choosing that career? Did you come across it by accident? Do you just like the idea of being a Rock guitarist, Astronaut or road sweeper? How methodical have you been ... and wouldn't it be worth considering your whole career strategy from scratch? These days people don't have to stay in the same field of work until they retire. We can all have three, four, five or more careers. Maybe now is the time for you to think about something different?

Where do you start?

You can sit down with a blank piece of paper and ask yourself some questions like:

* What am I good at? Categorise your answer (people, selling, computers ...)

* What do I really enjoy doing?

* Are there jobs that would fit both those questions?

But this is where you may find a problem. Your knowledge of the job market may not be adequate for you to answer the last question. This is what stops many people from looking for their perfect job. Fortunately, there are many services on the worldwide web that can help you.

Information sources

The Job Skills Information Online