Don't Discount the Temporary Position Interview

Don't Discount the Temporary Position Interview
If you think, "it's just an interview for a temp job -- no
big deal," that's where you're mistaken. Some wonderful
opportunities, networking connections and careers have
resulted from temporary positions.

Temporary assignments today run the gamut from receptionist
to CEO and beyond. And since an agency is usually the first
contact with the company, much of the marketing and
negotiations have been done for you.

And if you believe "but the interview is set up and all I
have to do is show up," you're wrong again. The mind set
you bring to that interview will make a big difference as
to whether or not you get the job.

Most employers like to conduct interviews for temporary
positions, even though they are slated only for a few weeks
or months of service. They are particularly concerned about
people in positions of higher responsibility. The employer
is interested in selecting quality people who can be
trusted with company information, knowledge and secrets.

Steps to Take to Prepare For Your Interview

-- Step #1 - Do Your Research.

Many companies have Web sites where you can access valuable
background information to use in your interview.

By finding out information about the company, like annual
revenue and the organization's mission, you will show an
interest in what you will be contracted to do. Showing some
enthusiasm about the position will demonstrate a positive
attitude toward the assignment that you're seeking. You
don't want to project the idea that you are there because
you can't find a job anywhere else, or are waiting for just
the right job -- even if that is the case.

-- Step #2 - Get a Job Description.

Prepare ahead of time.

A worthwhile exercise is to take a piece of paper and fold
it down the middle. On one side of the fold write, "What
they are looking for," and on the other side, write, "What
I have to offer." Look at the job description and compare
the company's needs with your experience and qualities. How
do you stack up? Where are your shortcomings? Can you show
how you learn quickly or bring added value to the company
from the start?

-- Step #3 Prepare a Short Information Statement.

Be ready to answer the dreaded question, "Tell me about
yourself and your background."

Your statement should include some information on the type
of companies and industries you have worked for, your
strengths, your transferable skills and some of your
personal traits. Practice saying this statement until it is
natural.

-- Step #4 Be Prepared to Talk About Your Successes and
Experiences.

The employer will want to find out about your past
experience -- successes and failures, your work ethic, your
track record and, more than likely, the reason you have
chosen to work as a temporary employee rather than a
regular employee. Make sure you have an answer to the
question, "Why temporary employment?"

Even though you are not being considered for a regular
position at this time, there is always the possibility that
it just might work out well for both parties -- and the
first step to making that happen is by acing the interview.

----------------------------------------------------
Carole Martin, America's #1 Interview Expert and Coach, can
give you interviewing tips like no one else can. Get a copy
of her FREE 9-part "Interview Success Tips" report by
visiting Carole on the web at http://www.interviewcoach.com

My Prospecting Secrets Revealed!

My Prospecting Secrets Revealed!
Let me start off by explaining the biggest benefit of
providing your downline members with a viral prospecting
system.

It boils down to this...

When you have a viral prospecting system in place for your
team members, your downline has the potential to take on a
life of its own and continue to grow effortlessly while
you're focusing on more important things such as family and
friends.

A gentleman I recently discovered managed to accomplish the
difficult task of duplication while maintaining his full
time job and family life.

He mentioned that ever since the beginning of his online
ventures he was searching for a system that brought
interested prospects in automatically.

He didn't have time to do the traditional recruiting
methods because they required a lot of time and commitment.

What he wanted instead, was a huge downline that duplicated
on auto-pilot from his part time efforts.

"But did such a solution exist?"

If it did, he said he couldn't find it...

So after many years of struggling to build a solid residual
income through network marketing he decided it was time to
take the bull by the horns (so to speak) and he created a 3
step marketing system that literally exploded his downline
within a few months.

The part that amazed me the most was the fact that he
didn't spend a dime on advertising. And his downline is now
over 11,460 strong and growing monthly on auto-pilot.

Ultimately I learned that being a successful sponsor
involves providing some type of system that helps people
build their business, not sitting around wondering why your
downline isn't doing anything.

If you're interested in building your primary business
while generating multiple income streams you may want to
take a minute and check out this site...

I just discovered a brand new prospecting system that
builds YOUR business and tons more!

I don't want to spoil it for you but I will say that after
I completed the 3 easy steps I was blown away at the power
of this new system.

Honestly, I get a ton of email, and I might not have even
read the email if it hadn't of come from my friend, but I
trust his recommendation

I just discovered a brand new ingenious prospecting system
where you can:

1. Automatically promote YOUR primary business!

2. Get "Real-Time" leads sent to your inbox!

3. Earn multiple income streams with 100x less effort

I guess the quote from Zig Ziglar holds true:

"You can have everything in life you want, if you just help
enough other people get what they want."

----------------------------------------------------
=====================================================
If you'd like to learn more about a brand new prospecting
system that builds YOUR primary business and generates
multiple income streams, go here:
http://www.pathtopresident.com/r/blindguy55
=====================================================

Why your business needs two types of accountability.

Why your business needs two types of accountability.
The tide's coming in, fast. Your kayak is there on the
sand, starting to get gently nudged.

Meanwhile you're flat out on a beach towel. Hot sun. Cool
breeze. Iced tea. Are you going to get up in time to save
your kayak from floating out to sea?

Your business may be calling, all kinds of important things
to get done. But who can lift a finger when the sun is so
bright?

Sipping iced tea is just like checking email.

If you checked email 1000 times yesterday, you're just as
likely to check email 1000 times today. And not get to that
really important project that's going to really help your
business set sail.

What's going to make you get to it? Well, if sand blew in
your face and your bills weren't going to get paid, that
panic would probably have you jumping up to work on your
business.

It's effective. But not very fun. And it takes you right
out of your heart and inspiration.

So why can't you just have gentle reminders?

The sun is crossing the sky. The breeze is picking up. All
of these signs are telling you the tide is coming in, and
your kayak needs tending to.

But the sun is so warm, and you're so comfortable... do you
really need to get up... just... yet?

Are panic and force the only way to get things done?

Accountability replaces the rising tide.

Instead of waiting for a force of nature to move you, you
can create some support in moving yourself. And it involves
creating accountability.

Unfortunately, accountability is a dirty word if you have a
tendency to be like a drill sergeant, whipping yourself
toward your goals. This is even harsher than facing the
rising tide.

Except this time it's self-imposed. So, instead of
responding, you ignore it, or fight it. Either way, it's
easy to forget in the moment -why- you're working toward
some deadline or other.

You need two types of accountability.

The first accountability is 'external' where you create a
rising tide for yourself. And the second accountability is
'internal,' where you have compassionate support to face
the tide.

Hmmm... seems kind of confusing, internal, external,
compassionate support, rising tide. How does it really work?

Keys to Compassionate Accountability

* External means committing so they are counting on you.

External accountability is when you set a deadline, and
announce it to the world. You pre-sell your book, and
people are expecting it by a certain date. You take out a
business loan that comes due in 18 months.

Your clients are counting on you, or the person or
institution that invested in you is counting on getting
their money back. Either way, people see you are the
expert, the provider, and the one who can make it happen.

This helps you rise to your potential. It squeezes you,
pushes you to perform, perhaps in ways you never thought
you could.

* Internal means you are counting on them.

Internal accountability is when you collect friends,
colleagues, mastermind buddies, a coach or mentor to help
bring a merciful attitude towards your goals.

These are people you trust, who love and care for you. You
can lean into them. If you get in a jam, they aren't going
to whip you; they are going to help you navigate through.
They'll help you hold to the external deadline when they
believe you can do it.

And when they see you might drown, they'll help you come up
with a merciful alternative- like extending your deadline.

Adversity can bring the best out in you. It will wake you
up, get you off your beach blanket, and bring your business
to safety- paddling it towards whatever goals you've set
for yourself.

And, if you also have internal accountability, it means
you're never alone at sea. Use both internal and external
accountability, and you'll get your business to safety, far
ahead of the rising tide.

----------------------------------------------------
Mark Silver is the author of Unveiling the Heart of Your
Business: How Money, Marketing and Sales can Deepen Your
Heart, Heal the World, and Still Add to Your Bottom Line.
He has helped hundreds of small business owners around the
globe succeed in business without lousing their hearts. Get
three free chapters of the book online:
http://www.heartofbusiness.com

In Communicating At Work: Keep It Simple

In Communicating At Work: Keep It Simple
Whether we're talking about sales conversations, meetings,
e-mails or other written messages, presentations or
reports, when it comes to communicating at work, keep it
simple.

One of the most common complaints in today's workplace is
lack of communication. This problem arises in many ways:
poor meeting skills resulting in frustration and annoyance;
poor writing skills resulting in long, rambling e-mail
messages and reports that waste the time of both writer and
reader; sales pitches that fail because the salesperson
doesn't listen to what the client is saying; boring,
unhelpful presentations that waste everyone's time and
convey little information.

But an underlying problem in all of these situations is
that we tend to cloak all our messages in language that
obscures our meaning. It might be technical jargon we use
inappropriately for people who shouldn't be expected to
understand it, or it could be just longwinded, complicated
explanations that are hard to follow. In either case, the
result is that the message is lost.

So what's the answer? Keep it simple! In the workplace,
where communication is essential, you'll never go wrong by
tending towards simple explanations. In fact, the more
complex the subject, the more important it is that you
express your message in simple terms.

Have you ever bought something that used technology with
which you were unfamiliar? Maybe it was a kitchen gadget, a
complicated camera, a musical instrument or your first
introduction to a new hobby. Think about the buying process
you went through. Did the sales person take the trouble to
explain things in simple language you could understand, or
did he or she babble on in some unintelligible words and
expressions that left you baffled and frustrated? Chances
are that the approach the person took had an effect on
whether or not you bought.

Think about the type of information you must convey to
others at work in the course of your own job. Are you
making your message clear and simple? Consider your jargon
and the language you typically use, and see if you can come
up with simpler ways of explaining things. Then make a
practice of using them --- your colleagues and clients will
thank you!

If you'd like to see the value of simple explanations of
the complex, visit the children's section of your local
bookshop or library and look for books on outer space or
other highly complex subjects. Interestingly, even though
these books are written for children, their simple
explanations will not insult your adult intelligence, and
you may well find you've learned something new by reading
them.

So remember, for the most effective workplace
communication, keep it simple!

----------------------------------------------------
Helen Wilkie is a professional speaker and author,
specializing in workplace communication. Subscribe to her
free monthly e-zine, "Communi-keys" at
http://www.mhwcom.com/pages/communikeys.html and get your
free 40-page e-book, "23 ideas you can use RIGHT NOW to
communicate and succeed in your business career"

DID YOU KNOW? - 10 Effective Job Search Tips

DID YOU KNOW? - 10 Effective Job Search Tips
Here is a list of not so common job search tips that you
can use to your advantage to get noticed and be as
productive as possible during your search. The important
thing to remember is to conduct your job search like a job.
Work at it every day, develop a plan and stick to it and
don't forget to follow up on previous searches. Don't give
up, hopefully the tips below will work for you.

1. Did you know Tuesday is the most productive day of the
week? What does this mean to you as a job seeker? You can
plan Tuesday as the day to network, to make appointments,
reorganize job search files, or possibly re-touch on older
leads. However you decide to spend your Tuesdays, make sure
you take advantage of its' natural productiveness in the
work week.

2. Did you know that as many as 35% of employers are now
using your credit report history as a means of judging
personal responsibility, especially in occupations dealing
directly with money? Something to think about and get in
order before you begin your job search or at the least make
sure you are aware of what others are finding when checking
your credit history. Conducting a credit check on yourself
might be a good idea.

3. Did you know you could research the current earnings
rate for your new position using pay comparison internet
sites and increase your negotiating power by being prepared
and aware? A couple of helpful sites to search and compare
pay per job, industry, or location include www.salary.com,
www.salarysearch.com or www.payscale.com.

4. Did you know 65 to 70% of jobs are gained through
personal referrals or networking connections? So get
networking! Make a long list of all your friends, family,
past co-workers, bosses, work associates, teachers, and
professors. Also include contacts from associations, church
or volunteer activities, hobbies, and your children's
schools and activities. Once you have a strong list start
making your way through them to let them know what type of
job you are interested in.

5. Did you know only an average of 36% of those job
hunters interviewed regularly send thank-you notes while
75% of employers appreciate or expect the notes? Not only
is it polite but it is a great chance to touch on something
specific you talked about during the interview that will
help you be remembered.

6. Did you know that over 90% of employers seek their
assistant's opinion when interviewing and making hiring
decisions? When calling or visiting in person for an
interview make sure to be polite and friendly to the
assistants and secretaries in the office. Their impression
of you might just get you the job or get you passed by.

7. Did you know business cards are a great way to network?
Using a plain and simple card or with a photo works best.
They are another great way to be remembered and are a quick
and inexpensive career tool. Business cards work especially
well when you have your resume posted online and can
include the website on your card.

8. Did you know having a mentor can also be another great
way to network? I know from experience that having someone
more experienced in your industry and field to discuss
ideas and questions with can be really valuable. They are
also a great networking source as well since they are
familiar with your skills, experience, and current
objectives and goals.

9. Did you know 60% of large companies do salary planning
in the fall? What does this mean to you? First, it is a
great time to ask for a raise! If you are already working
for a large company a fall raise while budge planning is
going on might be easier to work into a budget then at some
other time of the year. Secondly, knowing the hiring
managers mind is on budgets and hiring needs for the
following year they will be more interested in resumes
coming in that fit their needs because it might save them
money to not include your hire into next years budget.

10. Did you also know that 40% of job cuts announced are
in the fall? This may be a great time to have your resume
updated and ready - just in case. You will be ahead of the
rest of your coworkers with an updated resume if layoffs
occur and you need to look for work.

----------------------------------------------------
Kris Plantrich is the owner of ResumeWonders Writing and
Career Coaching Services. She is certified in Resume
Writing and Interview Coaching, experienced and affordable
and is nationally published. Reuse of this article is
encouraged but must include a link to
http://www.resumewonders.com .

The 1 Question You've Probably Never Asked That Could Make Your Business Insanely Profitable

The 1 Question You've Probably Never Asked That Could Make Your Business Insanely Profitable
When most new businesses go about setting their pricing
model, they generally:

1. Look at what competitors are charging and set their
price somewhere near that price point (usually below, which
is most often a mistake)

2. Determine how much money they'd like to make over a
particular time period, determine how many projects they
can handle during this time period and calculate how much
they need to charge to reach their desired income level

3. Undercut every company in America to get the "pipeline"
flowing

What I'm about to tell you, because you've most likely
never heard it before, may strike you as odd and it may
even anger some of you.

All 3 of these methods are a waste of time!

There is really only one smart way to come up with a
pricing model, and that is by asking this one simple
question:

WHAT ARE MY TARGET CUSTOMERS WILLING TO PAY?

You see, by answering this one simple question, you are
shifting your mind out of its "Me, I, Mine" mode into the
mode that every forward-thinking business person should be
in, "What do they want and how much are they willing to pay
for it?"

To take a step back for a second, to realize how often we
are in "I, Me, Mine" mode, lets take a look at the very
nucleus of most businesses: deciding what products or
services to offer. All too often, I see clients who have
gone into business to provide a product or service that,
for whatever reason, they really wanted to provide. Had
these clients gone through the process of figuring out the
demand for a particular product or service BEFORE they set
out to provide it, some of them would be in much better
(i.e. profitable) positions than they are now.

So, back to pricing, if you can determine what people are
willing to pay for your product or service, you will be
much further ahead than everyone else in your field. When
you price yourself near your competition, or heaven forbid
at a price point LOWER than your competition, you're
assuming that your competition was smart enough to research
their price points. Well, I can assure you, in most cases
you are giving your competition way too much credit.

Try testing alternative pricing methods on potential
clients and keep raising prices until you hit severe
resistance. However, do not forget to keep a running tally
of overall revenue. Why? Because, as you raise your
prices, at some point you will begin to see some drop off
in clients who aren't willing to pay, which may start to
give you cold feet, but, what you must remember is that
even if you lose some of those potential clients, the
higher your price, the less clients you actually need to
hire you to make the same amount of money.

Lets look at a quick example:

- If I provide auto-detailing services for $50.00 per car,
and I get 100 new clients a month, I gross $5000.00 per
month.

- If instead of charging $50.00 per car, I charge $75.00
per car, I can gross the same $5000.00 per month by
detailing only 67 cars.

- Now, if I can get 50 people to pay $100.00 per car, then
I now have to service only half of the clients that I had
to at $50.00 per car, who I can undoubtedly give more
attention to, and I can still make the same $5000.00 per
month.

I don't know about you, but the third option makes me smile
a lot more than the first or even the second option.

So, before you make an arbitrary pricing decision, be sure
to think it through. I'd be willing to bet that most of
you aren't charging nearly what the market will bare …
trust me, or start raising your rates and see for yourself.

----------------------------------------------------
TO REPUBLISH THIS ARTICLE include this blurb with it: JW
Dicks, Esq. & Nick Nanton, Esq. are attorneys by trade and
entrepreneurs by choice. Dicks + Nanton Agency LLC
represents Entrepreneurs, Executives and Celebrity Experts,
exclusively, to maximize exposure & income today while
custom tailoring a Success Plan for growth and opportunity
tomorrow. They publish the "Celebrity Branding You" ezine
covering topics that every business professional needs to
maximize their income potential. Get more FREE tips at
http://www.DicksNantonAgency.com .

Corporate Gifts in the Land of the Rising Sun

Corporate Gifts in the Land of the Rising Sun
Corporate gift giving is naturally of great importance in
the land of the rising sun, where company life is, well,
life itself for many. The Japanese love a gift - it
communicates respect, appreciation and friendship. When
meeting a new Japanese business associate or colleague you
will be expected to participate in the centuries old
gift-giving ceremony.

Gifts do not have to be of high value, although if they
are, this will not be considered a bribe or insulting. For
senior Japanese executives however, the gifts should be
higher quality with increasing rank. This etiquette is
important to observe and failure to do so will cause
offense.

Gifts should be wrapped, but the paper should neither be
too bright nor white. Be especially wary of white, which
symbolizes death - and never give things in sets of four,
because the word for four, "shi", closely resembles the
word for death. This probably rules out golf balls,
unfortunately. The Japanese can be very superstitious about
this.

Both hands must always be used to present a gift, or even a
business card.

You cannot simply turn up with a gift unexpectedly, except
on occasions where it will be obvious you are giving
something, such as a first meeting. Instead, you should let
drop some kind of subtle hint that you would like to
present a small token of respect or memento in the near
future.

When the gift is for a group, make sure that all are
assembled before making the presentation - and bear in mind
that it is considered extremely rude to present a gift to
only one recipient. It must either be presented to the
whole group, or a gift given to each individual member.

The gift itself should be downplayed as much as possible.
This is usual in all Asian cultures. The friendship should
be allowed to come to the forefront rather than the
material object which is symbolic of it.

Monetary gifts or ones displaying the company logo are not
usually acceptable in Japan.

As for when to present your gift, the end of a visit is the
best time. Business gifts are presented at mid-year, i.e.
on the 15th of July, and at the end of the year, on January
the 1st.

It is not difficult to choose a gift for a Japanese person,
although as has been mentioned, if multiple gifts are to be
made, a strict ranking of worth is essential according to
company position. Products which are unavailable in Japan
are always welcome, as are extremely expensive ones. Pens
are highly appropriate as gifts for Japanese colleagues,
because the pen is a symbol of knowledge. It is also easy
to pack.

Gift giving in the Pacific rim is not as formal and
ritual-bound as it is in Japan, but here, too, the
importance of the gift should be downplayed and in addition
it is considered polite to show slight reluctance in
accepting a gift.

Corporate gifts are a bit more problematic in China, where
giving gifts to officials was banned during the communist
regime. Gift-giving is enjoying a popular resurgence, but
to avoid giving the impression that it is a bribe, the
following guidelines should be observed: your gift should
not be too expensive, should carry the company logo and
preferably be presented to a group rather than to a single
executive.

----------------------------------------------------
Business corporate gift is for everybody - customers,
clients and employees. Just like in Japan, corporate gifts
such as oil portraits done by artists like Jerry Carpos
from http://www.portraitkingdom.com may be sent to enhance
the growth of the business.

Is Your Resume Recruiter Friendly?

Is Your Resume Recruiter Friendly?
If you are in the middle of a job search, recruiters can be
either your friend-or your foe. They have the power to
keep you out of the hiring process or to introduce you to
corporate hiring decision makers. The quality of your
resume plays a key role in determining how recruiters will
treat you in the job market. It pays to make sure your
resume is recruiter friendly.

There are three elements to a recruiter-friendly resume:

* Focus

* Core competencies or transferable skills

* Accomplishments

If your resume lacks any of these crucial elements, then
you are probably not capturing the attention you deserve,
and you are missing out on important interview
opportunities.

1. Focus

Since recruiters' time is at a premium, they must know your
career focus within seconds of opening your resume. If
your career focus isn't clearly stated, you can't assume
the reader will take the time to search through your resume
for clues. Most recruiters consider "Career Objective"
statements worthless if they contain no real information
about the specific position you are looking for and the
industry expertise you offer. The best objective
statements are concise and to the point.

2. Core competencies or transferable skills

Once a recruiter understands your focus, he/she will want
to know if you have the required core competencies or
transferable skills to accomplish the job. A thorough
research of employer job descriptions will help you
identify the core competencies your resume must feature.

You'll capture and hold recruiter attention by including
only those core competencies relating specifically to your
focus. Be careful not to muddy up your personal marketing
message by including extraneous skills. If you remember
the all-important rule of relevancy, you'll go a long way
toward keeping the reader's attention on your key skills.

3. Accomplishments

Once your resume has made it through the initial screening
for focus and skills, the recruiter will want to know how
you stack up against other candidates. Remember, with
record-high resume response to job openings, recruiters
need good, solid reasons to recommend you for consideration
over the mountain of other candidates. Clear, concisely
stated accomplishments are the best way to distinguish
yourself from your competition.

Whether the recruiter works for one corporation or
represents many corporate clients as a third-party
recruiting consultant, he or she must be able to give valid
reasons for promoting you as a viable candidate. You can
make their job infinitely easier by including the
information they need-and bring your resume to the top of
the candidate pile. When your resume sells itself, you
gain advantage points, and make the recruiter look good as
well.

For optimum impact, write accomplishments that illustrate
the strength of your core competencies, transferable skills
and focus. An accomplishment is only valuable to your
resume if it promotes the skills your target employers are
looking for. Remember the rule of relevancy as you craft
each of your accomplishment statements.

In today's extremely competitive job market, employers rely
heavily on recruiters to screen out all but the top few
applicants. With a recruiter-friendly resume you'll beat
out your competition as the employer's first choice to
interview.

----------------------------------------------------
Deborah Walker, Resume Coach, and former recruiter knows
all the resume "red flags" that keep candidates from
effectively attracting recruiters. Deborah's insider
prospective helps her clients craft resumes that not only
attract recruiter attention, but earn them interviews.
Visit Deb at http://www.AlphaAdvantage.com