Tell me about yourself? The most frquently asked interview question

“Tell me about yourself?” The most frequently asked question at interview and often the first to be asked, setting the tone and direction of the interview process.

Another one of those make or break interview questions that employers use to separate the men from the boys. But, once again by taking some time to prepare before your interview, researching the company you have applied for then a great opportunity to separate you from the competition and an bring that offer of your dream job closer.

As this is such an important interview questions I have put together some useful links so you can gain a cross section of views and examples on how this question should be answered:

www.actingforbusiness.com/interview/JobInterviewtips/interviewtips/tellmeaboutyourself.htm

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_answer_

www.professional-cv-writingservices.co.uk/int/job-interview-tell-me-about-yourself.html

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-answering_one_of_the_trickiest_interview_questions-663

www.job-interview-site.com/tell-me-about-yourself-interview-questions-and-answers.html

http://cuberules.com/2009/10/02/interview-question-tell-me-about-yourself/

www.datsi.fi.upm.es/~frosal/docs/25mdq.html

www.careerknowhow.com/interviewtips/tellme.htm

www.employmentblawg.com/2009/the-tell-me-about-yourself-interview-question-answer-it-with-a-memorable-story/

Talent Emporium offers transparent, low cost flat fee recruitment services matching talented individuals with dynamic organisations. To find out how we can help your organisation acquire the talent they need to move forward visit www.talentemporium.com to view our fixed fee recruitment services.

If you are looking for a career move view our job vacancies at

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or if you have any questions relating to your CV or the interview process email your questions to Interview Questions

Flat Fee Recruitment: Transparent, low cost recruitment

We all know that companies are built on their staff and talent acquisition is key to a company’s success, but does it really have to be so expensive? Especially in today’s tough economic times when organisations are looking to cut costs to increase their bottom line do you really want to be presented with a bill from a recruitment consultant (the emphasis on con in many cases!) for more than you were expecting? Talent Emporium’s transparent, low cost, fixed fee recruitment offering guarantees that this is not the case.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out that reducing recruitment and advertising costs when hiring is key for most businesses, irrelevant of size or sector and Talent Emporium is ideally placed to help your company acquire the talent you require to drive your organisation forward often 95% cheaper than using a contingency based recruitment model.

Although there are other flat fee or fixed fee recruitment services out there, we operate differently. Talent Emporium’s three distinct offerings enable clients to pay per 4 week recruitment campaign enabling clients to take ownership of the candidate applications received during that 4 week period. Our transparent, low cost, flat fee recruitment services ensure organisations maximise their ROI by enabling multiple personnel to be hired for similar positions from a 4 week recruitment campaign all for a fixed fee, starting at just £500. Surely this is a no brainer for any company, large or small as the cost of advertising across a network of job boards would far exceed our one off flat fee never mind the time of expense needed to manage the full recruitment process.

At Talent Emporium we differ from our competitors as the internet and social media plays a big part in our 4 week recruitment campaigns. We proactively employ the use of social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to ensure our recruitment campaigns gain maximum online exposure and your vacancy is marketed to both active and passive candidates. Our use of online databases, social media and data mining of the major search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN ensure we explore every avenue to ensure we deliver the talent your organisation requires.

Talent Emporium’s recruitment credits will never expire, allowing companies to purchase credits in bulk and receive even bigger savings on their recruitment spend. As you can see, for a one off fixed fee Talent Emporium provides a more thorough and deep rooted search than many contingency or retained recruitment services, saving our clients both time and money. In fact we are guaranteed to save you thousands of pounds on contingency based recruitment models, who charge a percentage fee of the candidate’s first year salary and benefits, from the first time you use us. There are no hidden costs, just a low cost, fixed fee to take away the administration and financial strain that often puts pressure on firms when recruiting.

For more information on our transparent, low cost, flat fee recruitment solutions visit

www.talentemporium.com

to find out how you can start recruiting for a one off fixed fee.

Mickey Mouse Tie = Mickey Mouse Interview

Interview feedback from earlier in the week has promoted me to publish this post. A talented software developer with great references and an excellent academic background has turned up to an interview with a cartoon tie! What on earth possesses these people to opt for a cartoon character tie when getting ready for an interview?

When has business and interview attire included a tie with a cartoon character plastered all over it? Is the latest fashion accessory to a Savile Row suit a daffy duck or Mickey Mouse tie? I have just checked the website of the Savile Row Bespoke Association and I can’t find any evidence.

Without sounding sexist men are normally main the culprits, committing the worst interview fashion sins, but micro mini skirts are definitely an interview no go for women and especially men! To ensure you don’t make any interview fashion mistakes we have made a list of what not to wear to an interview:

1. Heavy use of make-up on women (or any makeup on a man)

2. Briefcases: A small leather briefcase or portfolio is recommended to carry your notebook and resume. Do not bring a large briefcase or bag with you.

3. The wrong tie: Wear a tie between 2 ¾ and 3 ½ inches wide. They should have a traditional pattern and be made of pure silk. No "trendy" ties or anything made of something besides 100% silk. Your tie should reach, but not exceed, the top of your belt buckle. Do not wear a bow-tie to an interview.

4. Overly bright or large-patterned clothing: it's best to stick with navy, black or grey.

5. Earrings on men: In fact, men should avoid wearing any jewelry unless it is a wedding ring, class ring or metal watch.

6. More than one set of earrings on women

7. Facial piercings, tongue jewellery or visible tattoos

8. Ill-fitting clothes. Few people can wear things straight off the rack. Spending a little extra to have your garments tailored is a worthwhile investment.

9. Long fingernails, especially with bright or specialty polishes. Nails should look clean and be trimmed to a length that doesn't leave an observer wondering how you keep from stabbing yourself.

10. Unnatural hair colours or styles

11. Short-sleeved shirts, even worse when worn with a tie

12. Fishnets, patterned hosiery or bare legs, women should stick with neutral colour hosiery that complements their suit.

13. Men whose socks don't match their shoes, or whose socks are too short and leave a gap of flesh when they are seated. Socks should be dark and coordinate with your suit.

14. Rumpled or stained clothing: If interviewing late in the day, try to change to a fresh suit beforehand.

15. Scuffed or inappropriate footwear, including trainers, stilettos, open-toed shoes and sandals

16. Strong aftershaves, perfumes or colognes: Many people are allergic to certain scents. For a subtle fragrance, use good quality bath soap.

17. Belts and shoes that don't match: Shoes and belts should be made of leather or leather-like materials

18. Telltale signs that you’re wearing a new suit, remove all tags and extra buttons -- and remember to cut off the zigzag thread that keeps pockets and slits closed!

Don't be a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen. Plan and lay out what you're going to wear several days before the interview, so you'll have time to shop or get garments pressed and cleaned.

Save "innovative" or revealing garb for the club (or your couch) and strive for crisp, clean and professional. Remember, you want the interviewer to be listening to what you're saying, not critiquing what you're wearing.


Talent Emporium is a transparent, low cost, flat fee recruitment solution providing helpful resources to help job seekers into the work place as well as providing companies with a opportunity to hire multiple candidates from a 4-week, low cost, fixed fee recruitment cycle.

Talent Emporium’s unique transparent, low cost, flat fee recruitment solution enables companies to hire multiple candidates across Admin & Secretarial, Banking & Finance, Construction & Engineering, Energy & Utilities, HR & Recruitment, IT & Communications, Logistics & Transport, Media, Oil & Gas, Production & Operations, Public Sector, Sales & Marketing, and Warehouse & Distribution.

To find out about how we can provide your company with a transparent, low cost flat fee recruitment solution visit

www.talentemporium.com