Multiple career possibilities await you in the field of banking and finance. If you a keen interest in fields like finance, accounting, business and economics, you can always consider choosing a career in the finance industry. Depending on the career option you choose to pursue, you need to prepare yourself to successfully fit into that position. Right qualification and work experience are essential to give your banking career a good start. There are various job positions that you can prepare for. Given below are top 10 job positions in the field of banking and finance.

 

1. Financial Analysts
One of most sought after and rewarding finance careers is to become a financial analysts. These professionals are trained to help businesses and clients make important investment decisions. If you aspire to become a financial analyst, you should at least possess a bachelor's degree in subjects like accounting, statistics, business administration, finance etc. Candidates who possess a master's degree in business administration are highly desired by employers.

 

Average Annual Salary: $58,205

 

2. Loan Officers
These professionals are required to help clients select the right kind of loan and qualify for obtaining it. After making an assessment of the creditworthiness of clients, loan officers suggest clients what type of loans would be most appropriate for the former. A bachelor's degree in finance or economics is required to become a loan officer. Knowledge of computers and work experience in banking would enhance employment opportunities for candidates.

 

Average Annual Salary: $48,318

 

3. Personal Financial Advisors
This is yet another profitable career in banking and finance. These advisors are quite well versed with the rules, regulations and policies of investment, tax laws and insurance. By using their expert industry knowledge, they assist individuals in meeting their short-term and long-term financial goals. To become a personal financial advisor and for best job opportunities, you should possess a bachelor's degree in fields like finance, accounting, economics etc.

 

Average Annual Salary: 66,405

 

4. Accountants
One of the most sought after job positions in banking and finance is accountants. These professionals have a strong theoretical and practical knowledge of accounting. To kick-start a career as an accountant, you should at least possess a bachelor's degree in accounting or a relevant field. A master's degree will bring you best job opportunities.

 

Average Annual Salary: 43,215

 

5. Auditor
If you have a keen interest in the finance industry, you can also consider becoming an auditor. The major job responsibilities of an auditor include analyzing accounting records and preparing financial reports for their clients. Candidates need a bachelor's degree to prepare themselves for this job position in the finance industry.

 

Average Annual Salary: 57,365

 

6. Collectors
This is one of the job positions for which you do not necessarily need a college degree. Job duties of collectors include maintain the records of overdue accounts and collect the payments. Computer knowledge and good communication skills are some essential job skills required to work as a collector. Candidates having at least a high school diploma can pursue this job position. A college degree will enhance employment opportunities for you.

 

Average Annual Salary: $27,960

 

7. Budget Analysts
Analysts are required in companies for doing an effective distribution of financial resources. Their job responsibilities include developing, analyzing and executing an organization's budget. Large organizations can not deal with their complex financial structure on their own. Budget analysts are hired to develop an organization's annual budget and allocate current resources. A bachelor's degree in subjects like finance, accounting, statistics or economics is required to become a budget analyst.

 

Average Annual Salary: $55,566

 

8. Buyers
One of the top most banking jobs also includes the job position of buyers. As the title suggests, buyers in the banking and finance industry are responsible for buying goods and services, according to the company's requirements. A bachelor's or a master's degree in fields like engineering, economics or applied sciences is required to start a career as a buyer.

 

Average Annual Salary: $44,919

 

9. Treasurers
These professionals are responsible for channelizing an organization's financial goals. Typical job duties of treasurers include supervising investment of funds and developing strategies to raise funds for the organization. A bachelor's degree (or an advanced degree for best job opportunities) is needed to work as a treasurer in the finance industry.

 

Average Annual Salary: $97,645

 

10. Bank Tellers
Yet another job position included in the top ten banking and finance jobs is that of a bank teller. This is one of those banking careers for which you do need a college degree. Job responsibilities include accepting deposits, processing withdrawals, payment of loans, cashing of checks etc. Candidates need a high school diploma at the minimum to kick-start this career. However, a bachelor's degree will enhance career opportunities.

 

Average Annual Salary: $19,828

Have you ever wondered what life will be like if you don't plan your career in advance? Whether you are in high school or college, you would need to do some career planning in advance, depending on your aptitude, skills and interests. You must have seen students who drop out of college all of a sudden only because they were not ready with a career plan. They were unable to get benefits from career counseling. What will you do if you get trapped in a situation where you landed a job after completing your college education and then learned that it was not the career you actually wanted? Well, there are career testing and counseling options to fix these issues before they start taking a toll upon you.

 

How Do Career Interests Tests Help You?
By planning your career in advance and knowing what you want to do can really lead your career in the right direction. Through career aptitude tests, you will be able to decide which career suits you best. And if you know what you want to become, it will be quite easy for you to identify a university or college that has good reputation in that specific field. Therefore, getting enrolled in that college will not be a problem for you. This gives your career a ‘great start'. You are well aware of what you want to do in life. You are headed in the right direction.

 

A lot more benefits await college students. Since taking a career aptitude test helps you select the right career path, it also prepares you to find people who are in the same field. That means when you are focused on what you want to do, you can build contacts with professionals in the same industry. These people can not only provide you with valuable career information and industry knowledge, but they can also help you land a job.

 

Planning Your College Major
You will face situation where you will see many of your classmates quit and move into an easier college major. Why does this happen? This is only because they did not plan their career in advance. At the same time you stay on track, because you know where you are headed. You have prepared yourself and chosen the right career path. You have selected a career of your interest, in tune with your aptitude and skills. High school and college students should see career assessment tests and career aptitude testing as ‘tools to plan a road map to future'. These tests help students gain a competitive advantage over others. They make you confident and provide you direction.

 

If you really want to achieve success in your career, you should be able to choose a college major that matches your skills and interests. It is utmost important to make an appropriate assessment of your skills, aptitude and interests. You should be familiar what you enjoy doing. You would never like to do a job which is not the same as your career. A job and a career are two completely different things. Given below are some important tips for students to help them plan and choose the right college degree major.

 

Assess your skills
Identify your interests
Recognize your values
Narrow down the list of college majors

 

Once you have assessed your skills, interests and values, you can combine all of these elements together to narrow down the list of college degree majors. At the same time, you can also get in touch with college admission counselors who specialize in your chosen major.

 

Career Counseling for Students
Considering the tough competition in the job market, students need to make well informed career decisions to become successful. There are several resources that high school students and college students can use for career counseling. They can also seek help from the career guidance center at their colleges. At a career services center, you can work with a career counselor who can be of immense help in the career planning process.

 

A career counseling session guides you through four essential steps which include self-assessment, career exploration, goal setting and job search. Career counselors can offer you help even while you search for jobs.

 

Today, students can find multiple career tools on the internet. Many of these career assessment tools are offered for free to students while others charge fees for these services. These online tests help students decide whether they have chosen the right career path and whether their career is in tune with their personal values, aptitude, skills, needs and desires.

It is not always simple to attend a graduate school and obtain your MBA. In premier MBA programs, applications are usually larger in number than the number of students accepted. There are various factors that these business programs consider to shortlist candidates. Some of these factors include your GMAT score, previous academic background, employment history and recommendation from instructors among others. Candidates, therefore, need to prepare themselves in advance to complete their MBA application forms in a way that increases their chances of being accepted in the business program.

 

First of all, candidates who wish to pursue an MBA program need to identify the best programs to match their individual interests and requirements. Selecting the best MBA program may include things like the type of the business program, the cost involved, location, placement etc. When candidates choose their MBA program based on these criteria, it definitely increases their likelihood of being accepted for the program.

 

The MBA application that you need to complete has some key components. If you wish to master the application form for your selected MBA program, you should pay careful attention to each of the components that the application comprises of.

 

The Application Form
When you are applying to a graduate school, your application form has to play a crucial role in the entire selection process. Many of the MBA application forms will be comprised of a similar set of questions to obtain the candidate's information. However, there can be some graduate school applications that will ask for detailed information. You need to pay careful attention to complete the MBA application form more professionally.

 

In terms of completing the MBA application form, the next important point to keep in mind is the business program's admission deadline. You should plan in advance so that you complete the application form ahead of the admission deadline. To make the application form for your MBA program look professional, you can also type the information on to the form.

 

Your Resume or the CV (Curriculum Vitae)
The completion of your application form also involves attaching your resume or CV to it. You should always remember to attach a professional and updated resume with your MBA application form. An important point to remember here is that do not take it as ‘one-size-fits-all'. Like you tailor your resume to specific requirements for employers, you need to customize your resume to the specifics of the graduate program you are applying to.

 

It is advisable to include an ‘objective' section at the top of your resume stating the goals that you plan to achieve by completing your MBA program. Some of the key elements that should be included in all types of resumes include your accomplishments, leadership skills, managerial experience, team leadership, USP etc.

 

Your Personal Essay
To become successful in being accepted in an MBA program, you also need to write your personal essay in a precise manner. Your personal essay should reflect how you think and plan to achieve your goals after completing the business administration program. Applicants are asked to write on a variety of topics for the personal essay. You may be asked to write about your role model or you may need to write about how you plan to achieve your goals after you receive your MBA. Many times, candidates are asked to write about situations where their leadership skills were utilized. Some personal essay topics include writing about the events that shaped you.

 

Letters of Recommendation
Most of the MBA application forms will require you to submit two or three letters of recommendation. Or they may ask you to complete a recommendation form with two or three references. The critical task in this regard is to select the right people who can recommend you in the best way. Since you are applying to a business management program, it would be a good idea to select people from relevant fields like business or education.

 

Make sure the people who write the recommendation letter know you closely. Before you request the person to write the recommendation letter for you, do remember to provide them with a copy of your resume and your talents and skills.

 

Placement Exam Scores
To obtain acceptance in most of the MBA programs, candidates will need to have at least one standardized test score. All accredited business programs will require you to have a standard test score to establish your eligibility. The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) score is considered to identify your intellectual ability in mathematics, English and logic. Non-native English speakers will need to clear the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language).

In today's world, there is an increasing number of people dealing with issues like depression, stress, anger, grief, substance abuse etc. Mental health counselors are professionals who are trained to tackle a variety of issues including emotional and mental disorders in patients. They work with a wide range of patients and age groups which may include individuals, families and groups. They are responsible for developing effective treatment plan to cure patients suffering from mental and emotional disorders. If you have a strong passion for making positive changes in the life of people, you can always pursuer a career as a mental health counselor.

 

Job Responsibilities
Mental health counselors are responsible for restoring the mental and emotional health of patients. They use a variety of treatment methods and techniques to make positive changes in the patients' behavior and lives. They recommend effective treatment plan to cure patients who are facing issues like substance abuse, anger, grief, self-esteem, stress, depression, aging etc. They are also trained to tackle a range of marital and parental issues that people may face in their day-to-day lives. These counselors work in close contact with other experts like psychologists, psychiatrists and clinical social workers.

 

Mental health counselors may choose a specialization in the field of counseling. Some of these counselors specialize in substance abuse or family counseling or rehabilitation. Professionals can choose a specialization depending on their skills and work experience. Some mental health counselors work in hospitals and counseling centers with psychiatric patients. Many others choose to do private practice.

 

Typical job responsibilities of mental health counselors include -

 

Evaluating the mental health of patients
Assisting patients in making positive changes
Help clients develop specific skills to tackle their problems
Maintain the medical history/ records of patients
Work in close contact with other mental health professionals
Developing treatment plans for clients and evaluating their effectiveness
Making necessary modifications in the treatment plans
Seek out other available resources to be used in counseling patients

 

Educational Qualification & Training
A master's degree is the standard requirement to work as a mental health counselor. Typically, students undergo an internship program during their master's degree program. There are various colleges and universities that offer specialization courses in areas like substance abuse, clinical mental health counseling, school counseling, gerontology, family therapy, rehabilitation counseling, marriage counseling etc. In addition to having a master's degree in counseling, candidates will also need to complete some licensing requirements depending on the state where they belong to. Licensing requirements may also vary from one specialty to another.

 

Job Characteristics
Though most of the mental health counselors work for the standard forty hours a week, you may need to put in some extra hours or work overtime to cater to a large number of clients. You may also be called upon at weekends in emergencies where families are dealing with a crisis. To become successful in your career, you should be an avid listener, excellent communicator and have a strong passion for making positive changes in people's lives.

 

Employment Outlook
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a faster than the average of all occupations job growth for metal health counseling jobs, through to the year 2016. Another important reason for mental health counselors being in high demand is due to the fact they are less expensive as compared to psychologists and psychiatrists. With growing experience, counselors can also occupy senior level supervisor or administrative job positions.

 

Annual Salary
The average annual salary of mental health counselors is around $34,380. Salaries for mental health counseling jobs vary according to the specialization areas as well. The highest annual salary offered to counselors is around $59,700.

 

Major Employers for Mental Health Counseling Jobs
Managed care systems and government agencies (state and local) are the major employers for these jobs. Abundant employment opportunities await those candidates who have adequate qualification and several years of work experience in counseling.

No one can deny the benefits of massage therapies. More and more people from the world over are turning towards this holistic remedial system to find solutions to their pains and stress related problems. The entire concept of massage therapy is based on manipulating the soft body muscles and improving the circulation in the body. Before a therapeutic treatment begins, the massage therapist sites with the client and understands the latter's physical requirements. It is only after a high degree of personal interaction that the therapeutic massage treatment begins. The career as a massage therapist is quite a profitable one and brings a lot of job satisfaction as well.

 

If you have a strong passion for improving people's lives by helping them feel better, you can plan to become a massage therapist. To become successful in this career, you need to complete formal education and training. Before you start to pursue a massage therapist's career, you should be aware of the several specializations the massage therapy occupation offers.

 

Depending on the variety of techniques used during the massage, these therapies can be categorized into multiple specializations.

 

Swedish Massage
Sports Massage
Neuromuscular Massage
Deep Tissue Massage
Reflexology
Acupressure

 

Job Responsibilities
The major responsibility of massage therapists is to alleviate stress and pain from the body of an individual by using multiple massaging techniques. Trained therapists usually are well versed one or more than one therapeutic specialization. Experienced therapists are familiar with multiple techniques and methods of therapeutic massage. Usually, a massage session can span one hour. However, the time taken for the massage can also extend beyond one hour, depending on the individual requirements of clients.

 

Many in the massage therapy profession are self employed. Self employed therapists use their own self prepared lotions during the treatment. For most of the massages, clients need to undress and then cover their bodies in a sheet or blanket, provided at the massage therapist's clinic. Before the therapy begins, the massage specialist conducts an informal interview with their clients. During the interview, the therapist reviews the past medical history of the clients and results from other massage therapies that the client may have undergone in the past.

 

Depending on the interview and specific clients requirements derived thereby, the therapist decides which massage techniques are to be used for maximized benefits. Therapy techniques may vary from one client to another. What suits one client may harm another. The massage therapist has to provide treatment according to the individual requirements of clients. There are some medical conditions under which massaging techniques can not be recommended. The therapist also talks with their clients about these special recommendations.

 

Massage Therapy Schools, Education & Certification
Today, candidates can find several massage therapy schools and colleges that offer a range of training programs for aspiring students. Students can get enrolled in a massage therapy training program at these colleges. Before getting enrolled, students need to make sure that the training program is accredited by nationally recognized bodies. If you want to specialize into a particular type of massage technique, you should consider going to a massage therapy school that offers specialization courses.

 

Candidates will also need to fulfill some massage therapy licensing requirements, depending on the state where they are going to practice. Students need to keep these requirements in mind while choosing their massage therapy school or college. Reputable national bodies like the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) and the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) offer national level certification program for obtaining the license. There are various massage therapy associations as well. Therapist can choose to become a member at these associations to enhance their credentials in the occupation.

 

Employment Outlook
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a faster than the average employment growth for massage therapists job, over the next decade. As more and more people become familiar with the benefits of therapeutic massage treatment, the requirement for massage therapists will increase further. The massage techniques are also gaining popularity in corporate workplaces, driving the employment growth further.

 

Major Employers
Over 60% of the total numbers of massage therapists are self employed. Self employed massage therapists run their own businesses and have the flexibility to work around their own schedules. There is no dearth of employment for professionals who have adequate qualification, training and several years of work experience in massage therapy. Employment is available at places like hotels, spas, fitness centers, nursing homes, resorts, sports centers etc.

The profession of fashion designing attracts a lot of people at a young age. Candidates who have been reading fashion magazines regularly are aware of the appeal that the career entails. To make a successful career as a fashion designer, you need to be familiar with where and how to start. It is essential to know about the fashion design job skills, education, training and the employment prospects that await you in this occupation. Considering the tough competition, it is adequate education, training and skills that will guarantee you a successful career as a fashion designer.

 

What are the job duties of a fashion designer?
Billions of consumers purchase fashion clothing and accessories every year. It is the job responsibility of fashion designers to offer a wide range of variety for people who have an eye for aesthetics and fashionably designed clothes. Designers, therefore, keep themselves abreast of the latest trends in the world of fashion. They select appropriate colors and design fabrics to cater to the needs of consumers looking for a variety of new clothes and accessories.

 

Depending on their skill sets and interest, some fashion designers also specialize in the designing of a specific range of clothing. Designers may choose to specialize in clothing, footwear, accessories etc. There are others who design across a range of fashion categories. Designers take into account several elements while completing the process. The entire procedure of fashion design may take anywhere between 18 and 24 months.

 

First and foremost, fashion designers conduct extensive research on the latest fashion trends. Some of them study the fashion industry trends while other designers perform their own research in terms of style, color, fabric etc. On the basis of the results obtained from the research, designers develop preliminary design sketches. Computer aided design (CAD) software are nowadays used to create these design sketches. Many designers also prepare the sketches with the hand. They procure different samples of fabric from tradeshows and textile manufacturers.

 

Next, fashion designers create a prototype with the preliminary sketches. Cheap materials are used to develop the prototype. It helps designers to figure out whether some adjustments and modifications are required to make the fashion clothing look impressive. Then, samples are created using the actual material. These fashion clothing samples are exhibited at tradeshows, fashion shows and are also marketed to clothing retailers.

 

Steps to follow for becoming a fashion designer
Aspiring candidates need to prepare themselves well for this competitive career. Owing to a large number of people being attracted to this occupation, candidates will face a lot of competition in establishing a successful career. Given below are some important steps that you can follow to become a fashion designer.

 

Step #1. It is an excellent idea to start the basic training at home. Try to develop design sketching ability, sewing skills, patternmaking skills and select and mix colors. This will enable to understand the entire process of garment construction and prepare you for stepping into this occupation. So, start practicing these skills as early as possible.

 

Step #2. Industry knowledge is essential to becoming successful as a fashion designer. Try to keep yourself up-to-date with the current fashion trends. Try to predict what the fashion trend in future will be like. Increase your knowledge about popular fashion brands and fashion stores. Study different shopper profile which may include age group, income range, style preferences etc. Study the creations of famous fashion designers. This will all broaden your knowledge about the fashion industry and help you pave your path towards a successful career.

 

Step #3. Formal education will be required to become familiar with the various technical and artistic aspects of fashion designing. Find and attend a reputed design school or college. Have a look at the range of fashion design programs being offered. You can either enroll in a bachelor degree program or an associate degree program. Make sure you go through the course details before you actually decide to get enrolled in a fashion design program. Also check whether the degree program you go for has been accredited by national bodies like the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

 

Step #4. How do you showcase your talent to make an entry into the fashion industry? Well, you do it by creating an impressive portfolio of some of best works. Try to include the widest variety of your best design works in the portfolio. This is your passport to enter the fashion design industry.

 

Step #5. Employers will mostly prefer hiring designers who have some real world experience. Start working to acquire experience as early as possible. Participating in some related volunteering work can provide you with valuable work experience. Internships with manufacturing or working as a sketching assistant are fine options to acquire fashion design industry experience.

Do you have a strong passion for doing computer installation and maintenance? If yes, you can always consider becoming a computer technician. Aspiring candidates should be well informed that this is quite a demanding career. However, the rewards that the career brings are truly worth it. To become a computer technician, you should familiarize yourself with the job description, educational qualification required, career prospects and employment opportunities in this occupation. It is only appropriate education and training that can successfully prepare you for this computer technician career.

 

Job Duties of a Computer Technician
Computers have now become a part and parcel of almost everyone's life. People face a variety of problems and issues regarding the use of computers. Technicians are called upon to perform installation of computers, doing the maintenance and fixing a wide range of problems that computer users may face. Owing to the multiple types of computers and their system levels, computer technicians also carry specializations in their areas of interest.

 

While working as a computer technician, professionals can occupy different job titles according to the technical specializations they carry. Some of these job titles in this occupation are as follows.

 

Network Administrator
Desktop Support Specialist
Helpdesk Technician
Computer Systems Administrator
Internet Professional
Computer Forensics Specialist

 

There is a growing demand for computer technicians. Currently, there are around 65,000 certified technicians employed in this occupation. Since computers are in use almost everywhere, there is no dearth of work opportunities for certified computer technicians. Whether it is large sized business, a medium scale enterprise or a small business, all of them need the technical assistance of computer technicians for effective maintenance of their installed computer systems.

 

Whenever there is crash of computers and failure of operating systems, computer technicians are called upon. In such situations, these technicians seem to become super-heroes. These technicians also work with large organizations and perform the maintenance of PCs, computer system network, computer servers and hardware on a regular basis.

 

Typical job responsibilities of computer technicians include installation, configuration and upgradation of personal computers, laptop computers and other related equipment. They are responsible for diagnosing common hardware and software problems that computer users may face. They also perform preventive and security maintenance for computers. In addition, they maintain the computer systems network for smooth functioning.

 

Steps to Take for Becoming a Computer Technician
So if you are ready to become a computer technicians, given below are some essential steps you can follow to achieve success in this career.

 

Step #1. Use Every Opportunity to Learn
There is no right place or time to learn about computers. You should keep increasing your knowledge about your computers wherever you find it. It is not just the classroom where you can learn how computers work. You can learn about computers at home. You can learn about it in a shop. You just need to be curious about training yourself on how computers work.

 

Step #2. Acquire Experience
The second important step to continue on your way to becoming a computer technician is to obtain as much computer work experience as possible. You can acquire hands-on experience either in a computer training institute or at home as well.

 

Step #3. Receive Formal Education & Training
There are several community colleges and technical schools that offer degree programs in computer technician training. Depending on your individual requirements, you can either enroll into a 4 year college degree program or a 2 year associate degree program. Getting formal education and training will definitely enhance your chances of getting jobs.

 

Step #4. Obtain Necessary Certification
If you wish to validate your computer knowledge, obtaining a certification is the best way of doing it. Broadly speaking, computer technician certifications can be categorized into vendor-neutral certification and vendor-specific certification. You will need to clear specific examinations to obtain these certifications and become a qualified computer technician.

Job interviews are actually opportunities to sell yourself to employers. It is good if you have landed an interview with your potential employer. But are you ready to use your interviewing opportunity as a sales pitch. Considering the fierce competition of the job market, it becomes utmost important for jobseekers to prepare themselves for adopting some important strategies in advance to increase their chances of getting hired. According to some career specialists, an interview is regarded as a conversation. However, you should not take interviewing as mere conversation. A great interview is considered to be sales pitch.

 

Given below are some of the tested strategies to help you make yourself as saleable in an interview as possible.

 

Step into the Interviewer's Shoes
If you really want to become an effective interviewee, you need to think from the interviewer's point of view. When the interviewer puts across a question, you should figure out what he would actually like to listen. Let us take an example. Suppose the interviewer asks you: ‘Tell me about your college education'. Thinking from the interviewer's point of view, you need to know whether he is actually interested in knowing what all you did in college. Or else, he would like to know what you learned while you were in college. So, spend a little time before you reply to the interviewer's question.

 

Use Meaningful Messages to Sell Yourself
Every question asked during the interview presents you an opportunity to make yourself saleable to the employer or the hiring manager. When asked about your college education, you need to complete your answer with some key messages. Talk about how you leaned to live on your own while you were in college. Talk about how you handled pressure situations in college. Speak about how you handled workload while you were in college. These are the things that the interviewer is actually waiting to hear.

 

Demonstrate Your Abilities by Giving Examples
Only telling in a sentence that you are efficient problem-solver won't help. You may talk about a host of talents and abilities that you have, but unless your support your claim by giving example it is not going to be effective or make an impact on the employer. It is, therefore, important to ready yourself with apt examples to make your claims credible.

 

Stay Clear of the ‘Tell me about yourself' Trap
One of the commonest questions asked in a job interview is to tell about yourself. Think carefully how you are going to answer the question. Try to understand the interviewer's intention behind asking this question. By asking this question, the interviewer actually wants to know why you are at the interview and what you want. Wisely tailor your answer to the employer's needs. Respond to this question by talking about your educational qualification, your work experience and your skill set in accordance with the employer's problems or issues. If you can prove yourself to be a problem solver to the employer's needs, you will get the job.

 

Don't Turn Your Answers into Aimless Rambles
One of the most common mistakes that interviewees make is that they quit thinking long before they actually stop responding. Remember, no interviewer would ever like to listen to an answer which ends without a message. When you are presented with a question, you need to pause for a moment, take a deep breath, think about your answer, say it and stop when you have finished the answer.

 

Practice, Practice, and Practice More
There's no denying the fact that more and more practice brings perfection. Start practicing interviewing before you actually land an interview and reach the venue to attend one. Select a faithful person from the circle of your friends or family. Practice interviewing with them until you find yourself to become perfect. Practicing is one of the most important strategies for interview success.

There are different resume types for different job positions you are applying to. You must have heard about resume formats like the functional resume, chronological resume and combination resume among others. It is important to tailor the job resume to a specific employer's requirements to enhance your chances of landing jobs. If you are seeking a career change or have one or more gaps in your work history, you need to write a functional resume. A functional resume is different from a traditional resume in the way that it emphasizes skills and achievements in order of importance.

 

Functional Resume vs. Chronological Resume
As mentioned above, there are different formats for writing a resume. The functional resume is also created in a different way, as compared to a traditional chronological resume. It lists the jobseeker's areas of expertise and skill sets up front instead of mentioning the past job history. Since you are either a career changer or have gap in work history, it would be wise to market your talents and skills to the employer. Therefore, there is no chronological history of your previous jobs in a functional resume. The point is to attract the employer's attention by marketing your skill sets to them rather than presenting a work history which has lengthy gaps.

 

A functional resume is the right format to be used by candidates who are seeking a career change. That's why this resume type also highlights transferable skills, which are not specific to a specific job position.

 

Given below are some important tips on how to write a functional resume.

 

Step #1. First and foremost, you need to make sure whether a functional resume is the right type to be used in your case. The resume format will fit in with your requirements if you are changing careers or have interruptions in your work. This resume type will emphasize your skills and deemphasize your chronological history of work.

 

Step #2. The second important step is to brainstorm putting together all your skills, achievements and abilities. While at this stage of writing the resume, list all the skills and accomplishment that you can think of. You can include volunteering experience, on the job training, academic qualification, computer skills, language skills etc.

 

Step #3. Once you have accumulated all the information to include in the qualifications summary section, it is time to organize and edit it. Which of your talents make you most saleable to the employer? Is it your impressive academic qualification or computer skills? Do you have several years of experience of doing something associated with your job? Organize the information in order of importance rather than in order of occurrence.

 

Step #4. The next important step is to arrange the different sections of your resume. Since you are writing a functional resume, you need to arrange it by category and not by time. You can have sections like ‘Computer Skills', ‘Education', ‘Experience' etc. For each skill and talent, you can create a section on the resume. Just remember to list them in order of importance. Jobseekers are also advised to start each line of each section with an active verb to add punch to your writing and create a consistent tone.

 

Don't forget to list some of your most important achievements. Did you achieve something which is larger than your job description? Did you help someone get rid of a specific problem associated with your work? List all these accomplishments to make your functional resume perfectly written.

 

Step #5. A brief summary would go at the beginning of the functional resume. It should be a condensed version rather than being a well worn objective. It should actually give the hiring manager the idea whether your resume is actually worth reading.

 

Step #6. A brief chronology of your past work history should be included at the end of the functional resume. This will be written in the form of one-line descriptions where dates are optional. Jobseekers can only include the job title, company name and the work location.

This is one of the most effective, yet underused, career development tools for students and jobseekers. As the term ‘informational interviewing' suggests, it is about getting essential information, and not a job. Through this interviewing process, you actually talk to people who are already in an occupation you have targeted. Considering the multiple benefits of informational interviewing, it should be an essential element of everyone's career toolbox. Whether you want to explore career opportunities in a specific area or establish your professional network of contacts, informational interviews offer you all this and much more.

 

Why should you conduct informational interviews?
The opportunities that this interviewing procedure offers you are as follows -

Find out whether you have selected the right major to achieve your career goals
Know other better career opportunities associated with your chosen career path
Establish a network of professional contacts
Prepare yourself for job interviews in advance
Work out strategies to make yourself saleable to potential employers

 

Asking Questions
While interviewing people for information, you have more freedom to ask questions that may not be appropriate to ask during a job interview. For instance, you can ask people you interview about salary or typical compensation that a particular career offers. Since you are not ‘selling' yourself during these interviews, you can always ask honest questions for getting essential information about a job, industry or an organization.

 

Questions that you can ask during an information interview may include -

 

What's the best part about a particular job or industry? And the worst?
What was your college degree major?
If given a chance, would you like to change your major to something else?
What would you like to recommend to a student aspiring to kick-start this career?
What challenges does this profession bring you?
How do you spend a typical work day?
Does your career allow you to maintain a balance between work and life?
Who else should I talk to for more exploration into this career?

 

Of course, you can ask other related questions, unique to you. The purpose is to get as much essential information about a career as possible. Career tests and self assessment tests can provide you with more ideas about what questions to ask during an informational interview. These tests can make your aware of your skills, aptitude and talents around which you can frame a host of important questions to ask people you interview for information.

 

Selecting People to Interview
Benefits you get from informational interviewing can be enhanced by selecting the right people. Always look out for people who have been successful in a specific career you are interested in. There are a number of resources that students and jobseekers use to find people for interviewing. Some of the most important resources include your career guidance center's alumni network, professional associations, professors, career counselors, employer websites etc.

 

How to Proceed
After you have selected the people who you would like to interview for information, the next steps are contacting them and conducting the interviews. Once you have identified someone, you can send them an introductory mail telling them who you are, the purpose of your writing and requesting them to meet in person for the informational interview.

 

In case you don't have the email address, you should try telephoning the people you have identified for interviewing. Also mention the time limit (30 minutes is advisable) while contacting the person. Asking for more time may turn away people. If you receive no response at all from someone who you have contacted twice, identify someone else for the interview.

 

Never underestimate the value of an informational interview. Prepare yourself in advance to make the most of this effective career development tool and be successful in getting essential career information. Prepare your list of questions beforehand. Dress professionally when you attend the interview. Do not try to extend the interview time. Limit it the time span to what was promised earlier.

 

Most importantly, do not forget to follow up with your interviewee. Do remember to send them a thank-you note within 24 hours after your arrival from the interview. Express your heartfelt thanks for the time the interviewee spent with you and the useful career information they gave you.