Tag Archives: resume writer

5 Answers To Tricky Interview Questions From Our Resume Writers

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Often, your past can come back to haunt you, and this is especially true when you are looking for work. For instance, if you have been fired from a job, have a work gap or perhaps spent time in jail, these issues might come up during the interview process. Being prepared to handle the challenges is more than half the battle. Our resume writers have a few tips that might help you answer these tricky questions with finesse.

1. Answering Questions About Time Spent In Jail

Often, an employer will ask whether or not you have been convicted of a crime. If you have been convicted, it is always best to be able to explain the situation. Rather than fret, be able to discuss some positive consequences about the arrest. Perhaps you were able to spend time in prison advancing your education or perhaps it brought about other positive changes in your life.

Your resume writers will not disclose that information on your resume, so it will be your job to bring up the situation and explain it. It is always best to be upfront and honest. Simply state that you served time in a jail or correctional facility for a specific crime and then quickly move on and address what you learned from the experience. Potential employers are more likely to hire you if you are honest about the situation than if you don’t disclose the information. Keep in mind that most convictions are public records, so it doesn’t take a lot of digging for a potential employer to discover the truth.

While employers can ask about convictions, employers in several states cannot ask about arrests that failed to lead to a conviction, such as California. However, it is legal in most states to inquire about arrests as well as convictions. When it comes to convictions that have been expunged or juvenile records, you typically do not have to disclose the information although with expungement there are some exceptions to the rule.

2. Explaining Why You Were Fired

Honesty is always the best policy, so if you have been fired from a recent job, it’s best to be upfront. When asked about being fired, you should answer the question in the most positive manner possible. Being objective about your perspective and your boss’s perspective is a good strategy.

For instance, if there was a personality clash between you and your boss, address that issue and then state what you took away from the experience. If you were let go because you lacked a specific skill, you could describe some tangible ways that you are planning on improving this skill. Maybe you will take some classes, attend a seminar or read books about the issue. As resume writing experts, we know that it is crucial that you are as honest as possible whether it’s on a resume or during a job interview. After all, it just takes a quick phone call to discover how your former boss views the situation.

3. Explaining Significant Gaps In Work History

Resume writers often create resumes for people who have employment gaps, so we know that it is not at all uncommon for a person to have experienced a period of time when they weren’t employed. In some cases, such as a gap of just a month or two, your resume writing can showcase the years during which you were employed at a specific job rather than the month and year.

However, if you have a significant gap of six months or longer, it is best to be honest about the gap. Perhaps you stopped working in order to go back to school and further your education. Perhaps you took time off to care for children or an aging parent. Perhaps you even took a year off to travel or volunteer with a charity organization. Rather than look at the gap as a shortfall, simply focus on the benefits you received. Every experience teaches us something, so describe that in a tangible way during the interview.

4. Addressing Drug & Alcohol Issues

If you have spent time in rehab and are now in recovery, you might be wondering if this needs to be disclosed during a job interview. Technically, you are under no obligation to disclose this information, and employers are prohibited, by the Americans with Disabilities Act, from discriminating against people with addiction issues, provided that they are no longer using drugs or alcohol.

However, sometimes there are other issues that show up on your resume or in your past that make this disclosure unavoidable. For instance, if you were arrested or convicted for a drug or alcohol-related offense, this might need to be disclosed, even if you opted for drug treatment instead of jail time. Likewise, if you have a long employment gap at some point due to drug or alcohol use, you might need to be forthright and simply discuss your previous struggles while focusing on your strengths. Many people will admire your hard work in recovery rather than simply judging you because of the addiction.

If you are in recovery, especially if you are only a few weeks or months out of rehab, be sure that you are prepared for the challenges of the job hunt and new employment. Interviews and starting a new job can be very stressful, so make sure you have a good support system in place. It also helps to get a good night’s rest and eat healthy foods to keep your body as healthy as possible.

5. Impending Pregnancy

While there are few things in life more precious than impending parenthood, it does make the job hunt a tad more difficult. Technically, prospective employers cannot ask you if you are pregnant or ask if you intend to become pregnant. Likewise, it is also illegal to deny employment based on pregnancy. However, if there are many candidates for the job, the hiring manager could simply select another candidate, and it could be extremely challenging to prove you were passed over because of the pregnancy.

If you are very obviously pregnant, it’s best to address the issue and perhaps describe some of the ways in which you’ve prepared to balance your parenting obligations and work obligations. If you already have children, you can simply discuss how your plans have been successful in the past. It is important to note that family leave and medical leave benefits typically do not apply to employees who have been with the company for less than a year.

No matter what type of tough question you might face, practicing your answers will boost your confidence. Hiring a top resume writing firm and focusing on your resume writing and interview skills can make it easier to overcome these obstacles and present an impressive package to a potential employer.

Resume Writer Tips: Preparing For Different Types Of Interviews

Blog, Resume Writing Tips

Once a professional resume writer has created your top-notch resume and cover letter, you are sure to score an interview. There are several different types of interviews that you might encounter, and for each type you might wish to employ a slightly different strategy.

The Panel Interview

The panel interview is one of the most common types of interviews so resume writers definitely recommend that you be prepared for this type of interview. During a panel interview, the applicant typically sits in a chair with three or four people sitting across from them at a table. While this can be intimidating, the purpose of this type of interview is to allow several different types of employees to gauge each applicant’s ability to fit well within the corporate structure. For instance, the panel might include a member of the human resource staff, a few members of the management team and perhaps even a long-term employee.

When you are facing a panel interview, you probably will be asked questions from each member of the panel and the team will take notes throughout. It’s often difficult to know where to look during these interviews. One tip a resume writer might recommend is to be sure to look directly at the person asking the question. As you begin to answer the question, you can shift your focus to include other members of the panel as well. At the end of the interview, thank each person individually and ask for a business card. This will provide you with contact information for thank you notes, a service which a professional resume writer can provide for you.

One-On-One Interviews

The one-on-one interview is another common approach and typically this will be led by the person for whom you will be working. Obviously, this person’s main goal will be to see if you are a good fit for the company and because this person will be your direct supervisor it gives you some good insight into what type of work atmosphere you might be entering. Resume writer experts recommend that you be prepared to make eye contact throughout the interview, show enthusiasm and be ready to answer questions such as “why are you right for this job?”

The Lunch Interview

This is a less common type of interview, and usually this is the type of interview that might be set up for a second interview. Once a hiring team or a manager has narrowed down their list to a select few candidates, they might schedule this type of interview. Often, you can expect to eat lunch with the hiring manager as well as one or two other employees, who will want to ask you further questions about your qualifications and visions. This is a great time for you to ask questions about the company and job for which you are applying. Any resume writer will tell you that this interview is not about the food so be sure to order something that is easy to eat as well as inexpensive and take small bites, so that you always will be ready to answer a question.

The Group Interview

A group interview is a type of interview when many candidates for a job all come to the interview at the same time. There might first be a short presentation about the job or jobs available and then individual candidates might be interviewed or you might be interviewed together. You might even be given a task to complete as a group. Often these types of interviews are set up for positions where people will often be working together as a team or for high-stress, fast-paced work environments.

The trick to nailing the group interview is to make yourself memorable. Introduce yourselves to other job candidates and be friendly. While you are all competing for the same job, you also might have to work as a team to complete some sort of assignment so it’s wise to break the ice and be friendly. This is also a good time to show off your leadership skills, but resume writer experts caution that you walk the fine line between being a leader and just being bossy. The hiring team will make note if you do a good job working with others, show enthusiasm for the process and listen as well as you lead.

The Phone Interview

An interview by phone might be requested if you do not live close enough for an in-person interview and it also might be a sort of initial interview where the manager is trying to ascertain whether or not you are qualified for the job before scheduling a formal in-person interview.

While a resume writer can provide you with a great resume, only you can nail this type of job interview. It might be tempting to just hang out at home in sweats and put your feet up, but this interview is just a serious as the in-person variety. Get dressed, find a quiet room for the interview and be prepared. Sit up straight and answer questions in a formal manner just as you would during an in-person interview. Be sure to listen carefully to the person speaking and answer questions thoughtfully.

The interview process is daunting for everyone, whether you are fresh out of college or someone with 10 years of experience. A resume writer service not only can help you score the interview by creating a great resume, many of them also provide interview coaching and career coaching services where you can polish up your interviewing skills. Preparation is imperative, a person who has practiced and done some research about the company and the job, will always be more relaxed and ready to answer tough questions. Take a look at our recommendations for the best resume writer services and take advantage of the many job hunting services these companies offer.