[jsp]

1. Is writing a thank you letter a must after an interview? especially when you've been offered the job? Or does it depend on the position of the job?

2. I went to an interview at company XYZ and they told me that they will make a decision on who to hire by November X. However, they also told me that if I do receive an offer at a different company, I should let them know. Should I write them an email to let them know? A formal thank you type of email? Or was that said out of courtesy?

It couldn't hurt to do so. I probably would. Whether or not you end up working with them, it doesn't hurt to make a good impression and be courteous to whoever you meet, talk to, or interview with.

[eRzzie]

sigh. I really don't know if I want to be a childcare teacher once I graduate from university. I'm currently on break and working at a childcare centre. the pay sucks, like duh, and I don't think it will increase any time soon. this job demands soooo much from me. I'm not only working in the day, but also at night. and there are those b-s parents who know nothing about how to treat their child right. and these children are my responsibility, their safety, education, everything. but I love these children, especially the ones I'm with now. but I just don't like teaching them because I'm afraid of teaching them the wrong things. hehehehe. I have a year and a half more to sort out my thoughts. I was thinking of trying psychology. child psychology. I wonder how it's going to be like..

[yuki526]

If you think lab coats are bad, try a cleanroom bunny suit.

I guess I'm just ranting of not being able to wear cute clothes at work

[Aerolite]

Need advice about approaching this interview situation...

About a month ago I applied for a paid internship, got called back and scheduled an interview. Up until about 2 days before my interview, I was contacted by HR and was informed that the company was on a hiring freeze indefinitely, thus canceling the interview. I was told that I would be contacted to reschedule again whenever they are able to hire.

So I finally got called today to schedule an interview by then end of this week. This is all fine except I'm a little concerned about the start date since I already made a previous holiday vacation arrangement (of a little over a week long). I planned it after my first interview was canceled and I had no realistic expectation of getting called back. I didn't mention the vacation when I spoke with HR, but I need advice on how and when to address it.

Should I mention my trip sometime at the interview, or IF and when I get a job offer? I don't want to compromise getting the position. However, I did ask about the start date of the internship, which could begin on either one of two dates. The first date, depending on immediate need, starts about a week before my trip. Being hired at this time would obviously interfere with the trip. However, the second date follows right after I return and would be ideal.

My gut tells me that I should just be honest at the interview, hope they may somehow be understanding (since it's been a month since I last heard from them), and cross my fingers that they want me to start on the second date...I figure if they really wanted me then they might be more accommodating of the issue. What do you think?

[jsp]

I guess I'm just ranting of not being able to wear cute clothes at work

Yeah... can't really relate to you there.....

Need advice about approaching this interview situation...

About a month ago I applied for a paid internship, got called back and scheduled an interview. Up until about 2 days before my interview, I was contacted by HR and was informed that the company was on a hiring freeze indefinitely, thus canceling the interview. I was told that I would be contacted to reschedule again whenever they are able to hire.

So I finally got called today to schedule an interview by then end of this week. This is all fine except I'm a little concerned about the start date since I already made a previous holiday vacation arrangement (of a little over a week long). I planned it after my first interview was canceled and I had no realistic expectation of getting called back. I didn't mention the vacation when I spoke with HR, but I need advice on how and when to address it.

Should I mention my trip sometime at the interview, or IF and when I get a job offer? I don't want to compromise getting the position. However, I did ask about the start date of the internship, which could begin on either one of two dates. The first date, depending on immediate need, starts about a week before my trip. Being hired at this time would obviously interfere with the trip. However, the second date follows right after I return and would be ideal.

My gut tells me that I should just be honest at the interview, hope they may somehow be understanding (since it's been a month since I last heard from them), and cross my fingers that they want me to start on the second date...I figure if they really wanted me then they might be more accommodating of the issue. What do you think?

If I were you, I would not tell them about your trip. Just go through your interview and try to get the job. If you get offered the position, then tell them you need the second start date. I think this is fair, since you've been told that the second start date is a possibility. I'm in a similar position myself, where I might be given some impossibly early start date, but I'm going to worry about that once (and if) I get any offer at all.

[powerplantop]

Should I mention my trip sometime at the interview, or IF and when I get a job offer? I don't want to compromise getting the position. However, I did ask about the start date of the internship, which could begin on either one of two dates. The first date, depending on immediate need, starts about a week before my trip. Being hired at this time would obviously interfere with the trip. However, the second date follows right after I return and would be ideal.

If they don't ask do not mention it. If they ask when you can start then tell them the date that you want.

[SeX1eStAsaBa]

Need advice about approaching this interview situation...

About a month ago I applied for a paid internship, got called back and scheduled an interview. Up until about 2 days before my interview, I was contacted by HR and was informed that the company was on a hiring freeze indefinitely, thus canceling the interview. I was told that I would be contacted to reschedule again whenever they are able to hire.

So I finally got called today to schedule an interview by then end of this week. This is all fine except I'm a little concerned about the start date since I already made a previous holiday vacation arrangement (of a little over a week long). I planned it after my first interview was canceled and I had no realistic expectation of getting called back. I didn't mention the vacation when I spoke with HR, but I need advice on how and when to address it.

Should I mention my trip sometime at the interview, or IF and when I get a job offer? I don't want to compromise getting the position. However, I did ask about the start date of the internship, which could begin on either one of two dates. The first date, depending on immediate need, starts about a week before my trip. Being hired at this time would obviously interfere with the trip. However, the second date follows right after I return and would be ideal.

My gut tells me that I should just be honest at the interview, hope they may somehow be understanding (since it's been a month since I last heard from them), and cross my fingers that they want me to start on the second date...I figure if they really wanted me then they might be more accommodating of the issue. What do you think?

I was in the same situation too. I didn't tell my company about the trip until I was hired. They just let me go on my trip.

[ayahuasca]

Need advice about approaching this interview situation...

About a month ago I applied for a paid internship, got called back and scheduled an interview. Up until about 2 days before my interview, I was contacted by HR and was informed that the company was on a hiring freeze indefinitely, thus canceling the interview. I was told that I would be contacted to reschedule again whenever they are able to hire.

So I finally got called today to schedule an interview by then end of this week. This is all fine except I'm a little concerned about the start date since I already made a previous holiday vacation arrangement (of a little over a week long). I planned it after my first interview was canceled and I had no realistic expectation of getting called back. I didn't mention the vacation when I spoke with HR, but I need advice on how and when to address it.

Should I mention my trip sometime at the interview, or IF and when I get a job offer? I don't want to compromise getting the position. However, I did ask about the start date of the internship, which could begin on either one of two dates. The first date, depending on immediate need, starts about a week before my trip. Being hired at this time would obviously interfere with the trip. However, the second date follows right after I return and would be ideal.

My gut tells me that I should just be honest at the interview, hope they may somehow be understanding (since it's been a month since I last heard from them), and cross my fingers that they want me to start on the second date...I figure if they really wanted me then they might be more accommodating of the issue. What do you think?

Being honest in the interview is the last thing you want to be. That's not to say that you should out right lie, but never volunteer more information than you need to. You don't need to tell them everything. If they ask you why you can always pull the personal reasons or prior engagement card.

My number one tip for people going to interviews for the first time. Answer ONLY with the relevant information, you're not there to tell them your life story

[jacjac]

1. Is writing a thank you letter a must after an interview? especially when you've been offered the job? Or does it depend on the position of the job?

2. I went to an interview at company XYZ and they told me that they will make a decision on who to hire by November X. However, they also told me that if I do receive an offer at a different company, I should let them know. Should I write them an email to let them know? A formal thank you type of email? Or was that said out of courtesy?

Hey there,

I worked for our campus employment and career centre for 2 semesters and i think i can give some advice with your queries there.

1. It's good to send a thank you letter because it shows that you're really interested in the job and that you value your potential employer's time. If you're not really into the job, say... it's something that you're not really interested in and you would like to completely cut ties with the company you've applied for, then i don't think it's necessary though. Doesn't hurt to send thank you letters though... even if it's short, as it shows that you're professional and that you're grateful for the time they've spent interviewing you. It leaves a good impression.

2. If i were in your shoes, i would send them a thank you e-mail then follow it up with the previous discussion about what they told you to do.

Example:

Dear XYZ company,

Thank you for interviewing you. Your company has been.. *insert words of flattery about the company and the people who interviewed you and what you found admirable in the said company*.

As what was previously discussed in the interview, i have not heard from your company, but i have been offered another position by company ABC recently... *continue on telling them what has happened*

Once again, thank you for your time and i do hope you find a suitable candidate for the said position *if you want to work for the company XYZ, you should let them know about it in this paragraph as it states your intention for the letter*

Regards,
You!

Hope it helps. Good luck there!

i'm a social worker.
i'm totally rolling in the dough.
CHA CHING!!!!!!
..................................not.

hahaha sigh.. for the good of the people!

Good job! Thank you to our dear unsung heroes, such as yourself! Power to people in community services!

[Xiaoba1tu]

Any advice for writing cover letters?
I'm in the process of job applications atm. Sending resumes is fine because it's the same thing for all employers but when they request a cover letter I have to spend time editing my last one to suit the position, I'm not sure what to write other than giving examples of what I have had experience in that matches the job criteria. (Sometimes I don't have any examples)


v Thanks jsp and jacjac!

[jsp]

Any advice for writing cover letters?
I'm in the process of job applications atm. Sending resumes is fine because it's the same thing for all employers but when they request a cover letter I have to spend time editing my last one to suit the position, I'm not sure what to write other than giving examples of what I have had experience in that matches the job criteria. (Sometimes I don't have any examples)

The simplest way to write a cover letter is to look at the job description, and restate the qualifications that it lists, with your own experiences, training, qualifications, etc. that shows that you're a fit for the description. Keep it concise, it shouldn't be too long. Just state a few key reasons why you're a good fit for the job. I'm sure there are lots of examples online, if your school doesn't have a career counselor to help you with this stuff.

[jacjac]

Any advice for writing cover letters?
I'm in the process of job applications atm. Sending resumes is fine because it's the same thing for all employers but when they request a cover letter I have to spend time editing my last one to suit the position, I'm not sure what to write other than giving examples of what I have had experience in that matches the job criteria. (Sometimes I don't have any examples)

For cover letters, i think it's good to do the following:
1. Flatter the company/employer a bit. Talk about how awesome the company is... but be concise and sincere too.
2. Let the company/ employer know what made you apply for the job like your driving force, where you got the information from, etc.
3. Talk about your experiences and how it relates to what they're actually looking for. Let them know about your skills/experiences and how it can translate into something concrete and beneficial for their company.
4. Thank them for their time.

Hope that helps! Good luck!

[Xiaoba1tu]

This thread is pretty quiet.
Anyway I'm moving on to Plan B now in my pursue of a job. (Unpaid now)
Has anyone harassed employers before and actually got a job that way? I was thinking of being persistent and calling them up each week may give me a better chance. But I don't know if there are major risks in this and do the pros about this method outweigh the cons?

(Sorry I take back this question - sounds a bit stupid because you can't just ask the same question every time you call, they'll think you don't understand how it works. eg. No, we don't take volunteers means no. It's not like they'll suddenly change their mind the next week)

I'm so excited. I'm meeting an employer tomorrow! (:

[Tuxedomask]

This thread is pretty quiet.
Anyway I'm moving on to Plan B now in my pursue of a job. (Unpaid now)
Has anyone harassed employers before and actually got a job that way? I was thinking of being persistent and calling them up each week may give me a better chance. But I don't know if there are major risks in this and do the pros about this method outweigh the cons?

(Sorry I take back this question - sounds a bit stupid because you can't just ask the same question every time you call, they'll think you don't understand how it works. eg. No, we don't take volunteers means no. It's not like they'll suddenly change their mind the next week)

I'm so excited. I'm meeting an employer tomorrow! (:

Awesome!

If anyone needs help with interviews or so I conduct them weekly so I'll be glad to give any tips.

[Temoin la Nuit]

Holy frig.

Project I was managing got terminated from funding.

Temporarily doing scrub work on another project, where the PM has assigned me to take frigging notes during meetings.

God, make the economy better so I can /ragequit.

[Kirei_BoA]

so I'm in my last year in school (5 year degree) majoring in IT. My concentration is Web & Database, but now I'm starting to hate programming in general. I used to love making websites and doing web programming only (hate java with a passion.) After interning at a web firm, basically working like a full time making websites for different clients for a year, I grew tired of it. When I came back to school, I had to work with XML and I started getting pissed and going insane. I just can't stand programming anymore. I want to just kill it. I wanted to be a web developer and now I'm not sure what I'm going to do, because I just spent all my time studying IT and minoring in Marketing.

I'm thinking about working with Internet Marketing, but I'm so passionate about beauty and fashion, that I'm thinking about owning my own business (like a spa or something kinda like how Frederic Fekkai is known for hair, but covers every aspect in beauty in his salons.) However, doing that doesn't use much of IT (except for making a website and creating a database for appointments.) I'm just afraid that doing something like that isn't using much of what my whole major is and wasting my parents money. What do you guys think? Do you think that just using a little bit of my IT, marketing, and psychology knowledge is enough to create that kind of business without feeling like I wasted 5 years of tuition? Do you think there's also other options to use both IT and beauty/fashion?

Sorry if I'm posting it in the wrong forum, but this seemed kinda more job related.

[Temoin la Nuit]

so I'm in my last year in school (5 year degree) majoring in IT. My concentration is Web & Database, but now I'm starting to hate programming in general. I used to love making websites and doing web programming only (hate java with a passion.) After interning at a web firm, basically working like a full time making websites for different clients for a year, I grew tired of it. When I came back to school, I had to work with XML and I started getting pissed and going insane. I just can't stand programming anymore. I want to just kill it. I wanted to be a web developer and now I'm not sure what I'm going to do, because I just spent all my time studying IT and minoring in Marketing.

I'm thinking about working with Internet Marketing, but I'm so passionate about beauty and fashion, that I'm thinking about owning my own business (like a spa or something kinda like how Frederic Fekkai is known for hair, but covers every aspect in beauty in his salons.) However, doing that doesn't use much of IT (except for making a website and creating a database for appointments.) I'm just afraid that doing something like that isn't using much of what my whole major is and wasting my parents money. What do you guys think? Do you think that just using a little bit of my IT, marketing, and psychology knowledge is enough to create that kind of business without feeling like I wasted 5 years of tuition? Do you think there's also other options to use both IT and beauty/fashion?

Sorry if I'm posting it in the wrong forum, but this seemed kinda more job related.

Can you use your major to make some money while pursuing your fashion/beauty interests? This is basically what I'm doing ATM.

I mean, it costs a lot to start a business. And there's a good deal of negative cash flow in the beginning.

That being said, a whole lot of people graduate and end up doing work unrelated to their major. That's life..

[ayahuasca]

For cover letters, i think it's good to do the following:
1. Flatter the company/employer a bit. Talk about how awesome the company is... but be concise and sincere too.
2. Let the company/ employer know what made you apply for the job like your driving force, where you got the information from, etc.
3. Talk about your experiences and how it relates to what they're actually looking for. Let them know about your skills/experiences and how it can translate into something concrete and beneficial for their company.
4. Thank them for their time.

Hope that helps! Good luck!

A cover letter shouldn't be like that. Most HR people that I've ever talked to roll their eyes at flowery cover letters. The most important point in writing a cover letter is being to the point. Never waffle on about irrelevant things. A cover letter should be a brief summary of what your resume should say in detail and thus should never be longer than half to three quarters of a page. Put yourself in the place of a HR manager. Would you want to read 3 pages of stuff about how well you can thread a needle?

A cover letter and also your resume should be customised to each company you're applying to. Strengths that relate to the job should be more detailed, minor things that support it but are not as important should be tacked on with some brief details. If you go with a recruitment company then the resume should have balanced details across everything that may be useful.

[rata_bcms]

I thought I wouldn't get anywhere with a B.S. in biology but ended up working in a lab at a hospital. Eventually I found out about certain licensed professions within the hospital (clinical, nursing, x-ray technicians and pharmacist technicians, clinical lab scientists) that don't require a 4 year program to get. Some of them are internships, some of them require board exams from the state and 2 year programs like nursing.

[garnet07]

so I'm in my last year in school (5 year degree) majoring in IT. My concentration is Web & Database, but now I'm starting to hate programming in general. I used to love making websites and doing web programming only (hate java with a passion.) After interning at a web firm, basically working like a full time making websites for different clients for a year, I grew tired of it. When I came back to school, I had to work with XML and I started getting pissed and going insane. I just can't stand programming anymore. I want to just kill it. I wanted to be a web developer and now I'm not sure what I'm going to do, because I just spent all my time studying IT and minoring in Marketing.

I'm thinking about working with Internet Marketing, but I'm so passionate about beauty and fashion, that I'm thinking about owning my own business (like a spa or something kinda like how Frederic Fekkai is known for hair, but covers every aspect in beauty in his salons.) However, doing that doesn't use much of IT (except for making a website and creating a database for appointments.) I'm just afraid that doing something like that isn't using much of what my whole major is and wasting my parents money. What do you guys think? Do you think that just using a little bit of my IT, marketing, and psychology knowledge is enough to create that kind of business without feeling like I wasted 5 years of tuition? Do you think there's also other options to use both IT and beauty/fashion?

Sorry if I'm posting it in the wrong forum, but this seemed kinda more job related.

Hmm, just wondering why you majored in IT to begin with? Was the job boring? Did you only major on that because of what your parents said or because you heard that they get paid a lot of money? I mean you should have thought more about your career path. Asking because I'm a web developer too.

Anyways, hmm beauty and fashion, you can start up your own web company that advertises beauty/fashion or sells things like that. Combining your hobbies together and making money out of it is the best.