This is where this blog post figures in. The 3Cs (creative, commitment, and confidence) that we are going to discuss in this article will help you convey the message an interviewer wants to hear from an interviewee.

3 Cs of job interview

Be creative

You should be creative in your approach. Do not just give a rotten answer to each of the question asked. It sounds boring, it looks mechanical, and no one wants a non-creative, mechanical person because they already have more powerful machines to do the job.

Do not deliver a premeditated answer. Take a chance, offer something innovative. This will impress your interviewer.

Commitment

The second C of job interview is commitment. Convey your interviewer your desire to stay with his company as long as things does not fall apart. Tell him that you are not the “job hopper” kind and believe in staying with a company and delivering result. Your interviewer needs to know whether you will go out of your way to solve a customer’s problem or not. Tell them you will do it. This will put the interviewer at ease, and he will lower his guard, which will provide you entry into his organization.

Confidence

You do not have anything, if you do not have confidence to move ahead, despite all the odds. No product is perfect. Your interviewer, who is also your prospective employer, knows this, and you should also know this. And if you have the guts to sell the product, despite its several short coming then are in the team.

Show your employer your level of confidence and belief in what you do. Do not shy away from this.

This brings us to the end of 3Cs of a job interview. In the next article will see what the 3 Es of a job interview are, and how each one of them will help you crack a job interview.

Use direct message or DM, as it is known on twitter

Do not start sending confidential or sensitive information on the twitter’s public timeline using @ symbol. This is akin to taking someone’s bedroom talk to nearest pub. No one is going to like it, and you by doing so are risking your reputation. Instead, send sensitive or personal information in a direct message. Send your résumé link, interview request, etc., in DM only.

Hit Reply

Many a time job seekers do not pay much attention to DMs sent to them, or to the messages sent to them using @ symbol. Always, always, always respond to all direct and indirect messages sent to you. This will paint a picture of a guy who is helpful, friendly, and prompt. These are the traits of an employee that anyone will like to hire.

Count your words before you write

Twitter allows you only 140 characters that also include spaces and special characters, so be wise in the word selection. 140 characters are all you have, and it is on you to decide how you will make each character add to the value your tweet will deliver. Do not use unnecessary superlatives, adjectives, and adverts. I will rather suggest you to stay away from every word that has nothing to add to the discussion.

Go and check your tweets, and DMs to see if your tweets and DMs meet the standard set above or not. Fix them, if they don’t, and continue using twitter the way you do, if you do not find any problem.

If you have not believed this so far then start believing in it, as nothing is truer then the above statement is. And it will become more evident when you will read the best-kept secret twitter tips for job search in this series.

Twitter, as we all know by now, is a 140-word marketing nuclear bomb. It is also referred as virtual water cooler where people talk about things that matters to them. Twitter is not just a micro-blogging tool, but it is a search engine in its own right that has the strength to overpower Google. Twitter can be used in many ways, but we will focus on using it as a job search tool. All the tips in this and subsequent posts are geared towards that only.

For a novice, twitter may look useless, but so did search engines in their initial days.

Easy-to-remember username

Username is your twitter name, and this is the first thing that a person finds about anyone on twitter. This is akin to the first part of your e-mail ID — everything before @, and you will not want your username to spoil the party. Hence, do not use your nickname or any other silly things in there. While saying that I did not mean to say that your nickname is silly, all I meant was that your username should look classy. Cheesy stuffs do not cut it. Your twitter name should also be easy to remember.

Real name for real people

Use your real first and last names in the designated space. Do not use any cool-but-idiotic-sounding words in place of the first and the last name. It will hurt your image, and create hindrance in getting a job. A person without real name does not sound like a person, at least not on the Internet.

Real picture

I know how badly you wanted to look like Brad Pitt, but the fact is you are not him then why to use his picture as your profile picture? Believe me it will not impress your employer, and most of all they will come to know it is not Brad Pitt who is applying for the job. Take my suggestion and pull that picture down, and instead use your own picture, preferably in business attire.

In the twitter profile, nothing but close-up of your own picture should be there.

Start fixing your profile now and when you are done send me your twitter URL. That’s all for today, will meet tomorrow with some more tips.

Play your age and tell them it is an asset

You didn’t grow old sleeping. You acquired certain skills and a hell load of experience, which a young person can only imagine to have, but can never have until he or she reaches your age. Play this card well, and tell you interviewer that your age has given you the wisdom and maturity that comes only with age. Convince your interviewer that it will be an asset not a liability for the company.

Smack the stereotype on its head

Your young interviewer has many preconceived idea attached with your age, which you need to dispel. This is necessary, but do not do it violently. Be calm, composed, and in the best of your selves when breaking the stereotypes.

Handle illegal questions well

So what you have grown old now? So what you are 40 plus? It does not mean anyone can discriminate against you based on your age. It is a crime, and if you are given hint of this then either politely move to other question or ask the interviewer to not go in that direction. You can also consider legal action, if it does not stop on that.

You need to be careful when working on the above suggestions. A wrong step may land you in trouble. It is a fine line to walk.

Explore options

Being in job is not always good, at times it is confining. It limits your thinking to paychecks and 6PM (when your office bells calls off the day). Now as you are out of job, you have an opportunity to explore many more options, at least until you again get into job. Thinking of things that you can do apart from the job that you have been doing till date. Who knows you end up finding something that makes your heart racing.

Title, what title?

Title means nothing. I know you find it hard to believe it, and especially if you had been in the habit of being referred as senior manager, or vice president direct sales, or whatever. But, the fact is title means a dime. Do not chase titles, rather chase your heart, and find something that you like to do. If work is of your liking then why do you care if you are called a manager or VP?

Start a business

We all have a self-starter within us; all we need to do is give a shout to call it out of the closet. If you are not getting a job then take it as a blessing and start doing something that you wanted to do all your life. Did you want to go knitting, gardening, etc.? Take up this opportunity and start your own small business.

You will be your own boss, and no one will fire you from there. Make a business plan, find an investor (if you need one), and get going.

This marks the end of this bite-size post of the series. I have kept each post small so that you can chew the information provided in its perfectly, assimilate it, and put each tip to use.

Show what you are capable of

Not everyone out there is hunting for young employees; in other words, not everyone is concerned about employees’ in one’s company. These people are more concerned about their present productivity, which they believe can only be boosted if employees with certain experience join their team. For these employers, the more experienced the team is the better result they will get. Capitalize of this line of thinking, and strengthen your candidacy by showing your experience. Also tell them what you can do for them, if hired.

Find employer seeking older employees

Not everyone loves young workforce, some take it for inexperienced lot that cannot deliver. This group of employers is looking for people who have ground knowledge of their field and know how things take shape. This group of employees will be a good fit for you. Search for such companies and apply categorically mentioning your experience.

Legal action upon discrimination

I know this is not good, and I wish it never come to that, but in some situations it becomes absolute must. Under the law of our nation, no employer can discriminate on the basis of age, so when push comes to shove, you should take an employer to the court of law. But you must understand that proving it will not be easy, regardless, you should seek legal action if you are discriminated against. You should not suffer due to your age.

Although I will not recommend legal course of action, as it is nothing but waste of precious time, which can be used to find a job. I also do not support any kind of discrimination, so if your age is told to be the reason for not getting a job then go forward and prove it in the court.

It has been heavy stuff here. Let’s take a break with a promise to meet in the next installment. Till then stay fit and keep looking. And yes do not forget to comment.

Stay healthy, stay fit

The metabolism that you were once proud of has already left you, and so has the ability to regenerate energy; so the extra burden of frustration, anxiety and depression because the strenuous job-search routine may inflict malady upon you. You need to stay fit to fight it off. A fitter body will always help in having a more fulfilled life.

Do not lie about your age

Why will you even think of hiding your age? What is the benefit of doing so? If you hide your age, you are sending a message that you feel that you are too old for the job being offered, and no employer will like this kind of message. Your feeling reflects on your face, and the moment your contempt for being so old comes on your face, it is the end of your interview, at least for the interviewer.

Be yourself

If you are Mr. or Miss X then you are Mr. or Miss X; you cannot be a Y or a Z, even an A, B, or a C, so why even try to be that? The best thing you can do for youself is to be yourself. Just remember, it was you who has brought yourself so far, so why to be ashamed of it now? Act your age, so how much experience you have accumulated in the years that you have lived. This may not work for you, but not being yourself and pretending to be someone else will definitely not work in your favor.

Reflect on the things I have written above and assimilate them, make them your habit. I will catch you in the next part of the series. Use the comment box and let me know your view on the post in particular, and the series in general.

Be positive

Believe it or not, it reflects. Your positivity oozes out of everything you do and so does negativity. What people will think about you depends upon what you give away (positive or negative vibes). Most of the people get frustrated after couple of failures to land in a job. They become hopeless, but you need to understand hopelessness is not the solution, nor is the frustration. One has to tread forward until it becomes easy to walk and then run in full throttle.

Do not wait for a perfect job

Perfection is an illusion, and that too a bad one. Nothing is perfect, neither you, nor me, nor this article, and nor the job you are seeking. You must realize that you are no longer young, and you have a family to support, so you do not have the luxury to leave jobs coming your way. You need to be realistic of the situation, and be ready to compromise on the quality of job, and slightly on the paycheck you are offered, at least till you get what you want.

Update yourself

The biggest reason behind unemployment of people over 40s is their inability to keep themselves abreast of changes in technology. You need to update yourself with the changes in technology. By becoming up-to-date, you place yourself on equal footing with the youth, which will blunt the edge of negativity concerning your age. A 40+ person with good knowledge of recent technology is an asset for any company.

Think over it, and make a list of things that you think you do not know but are hot favorite among young people. See if those things are raising their employability, if it does then consider learning them.

What with the age?

Well, it has less to do with the age, and more to do with the newness in technology and failure of mid-aged individuals to deal with them. As it often happens, people in their mid-to-late forties tend to become slow on learning.

Another thing that keeps people in mid-to-late forties away from job is the salary they seek. I am not saying that you should not be compensated fairly, or at least you should get the sum you need to pay your bills and put some amount in savings.

But, this is not how people running businesses think. They are less inclined towards humanitarian goals, and more towards raking moola and increasing profit. Young people, despite their inexperience, are considered more apt for this goal as teaching new tricks to new horse is comparatively easy and so is taming them.

Then how to get a job in 40s?

This is the question that keeps people in 40s and jobless awake at nights. These are the people who have family to support, and maybe kids to send to university. Unemployment in such time is very difficult to deal with.

But, fortunately there is a way out and in this series I will tell you what to do to get hired. The advices shared will be workable. Do not treat this series as a read-and-forget series. Work on the suggestions shared. If I were you, I would have subscribed to the RSS feed. Do it now and stay up-to-date with the series.

“I am the king” Attitude

Attitude problem is one of the biggest reasons why people get laid off. There is no dearth of people who think they are invincible and a company cannot survive without them, thus they deserve a royal treatment. And thus they start neglecting or humiliating people. These are the kinds who always are found fighting with his boss or subordinates on even issues of no real importance. Avoid being such person, or the exit door will be nearer than you are imaging.

Coming late and leaving early

Your office is not your garden, so better do not treat it as such. It is unwise to reach office late, regularly, and it is doubly fatal to return from office before time, everyday. When I say before time, I do not mean you return before the designated time, what I mean is returning home without finishing day job. Do not fool yourself in believing that a 9-to-5 job means strictly 9-to-5. The work-hour does starts at 9, but thinking of its ending at 5 is crazy.

Going by the job description

If you assume you have to do only what is written in your job description then let me take the blinkers off, and show you what all you need to do to survive in the job you have. I am not talking about occasional drifts from the job description you got while joining, I am talking about doing those things that was never ever mentioned. One has to do things beyond the written (or oral for that matter) job description to survive today.

Thinking about what a hiring manager considers, your career objective says to them whether you fit in at that corporation, or not.  You want your career objectives to immediately follow your contact information on your resume.  Having your career objectives first up in your information points out what you want, and what you want to contribute immediately.  This way if you write your objectives effectively, you’ve already got the interviewer’s attention, and more importantly their interest.

The biggest key to writing your career objectives, is to tailor them to each position you apply for.  Writing a generic objective that doesn’t apply to that company directly shows a lack of attention to detail.  Or worse, too little commitment to even think about that company specifically when writing your resume.  Tailor those objective statements to fit that company.  Your career goals that you hope to get from them should apply to that job specifically.  The same with what you give to that job opportunity.  Make sure they have a slant towards that job specifically.

Competition for jobs gets all the more fierce when faced with a recession, so avoid some of the common objective pitfalls.  This means avoiding commonly used phrases that will make your resume seem generic.  Avoid terms like “opportunity for advancement” when applying for a job.  Of course that’s what you want, that’s the whole point.  Don’t waste an interviewer’s time by telling them something they already know.  Instead, use the space for something more unique, and more important.

Everything starts in the phone call that you receive, notifying you that you’ve been chosen for an interview.  Make sure that you write down the information on when and where the interview will be taking place.  Jot down the time as well.  Then make sure to find out any documentation that you need to bring to interview.  Before ending the conversation, make sure to double check the time and place, and the documents you’ll need.  The worst first impression you can make for an interview, is to show up late.

If you aren’t already familiar with the location of the interview, it’s a good idea to look up directions and do a run through.  See how long it takes to get to the interview site, and learn the route.  That way when the day comes you don’t risk being late by aimlessly looking for the location, or getting into unexpected traffic.

Now to the interview outfit.  It’s best to pick your outfit in advance, so that you know what you are going to wear, and aren’t forced to figure anything at the last minute.  Choose something professional, that’s clean and tidy.  An outfit that fits you well, and that is free of stains or tears.

Finally, on the day of the interview, be sure to leave early.  The worst thing you can do at an interview, is show up late.  Many interviewers won’t hire an applicant that can’t show up to an interview on time.  Keep that on time, and show up 10-15 minutes early.  That way you show yourself to be prepared, and committed to the job opportunity.

First, think about your hobbies.  You need a good practical one that you really enjoy.  If you enjoy cooking, something to do with the culinary field is a good bet.  Or if you like building projects, fixing up an old car, or even something like golfing, all of those could become viable business options.  Find one that you really enjoy, and that seems plausible, and roll with that idea.

From there you need to become an expert in your hobby, so that your opinion becomes really valuable.  If you like to cook, get some real experience, or better yet, go to school.  A culinary school is a fantastic way to sharpen your skills.  Plus the school will give you an invaluable education into how you could actually run a restaurant.  That could be a helpful skill in the long run, as it gives you different career options.  Go specific to your hobby, and look into educational options to make you an expert.

Before you give up your main source of income, try dipping your feet into the water of your hobby.  Again with cooking, try getting a job on a line at a restaurant, to really get a feel for the environment.  Plus this will provide you with the practice you need to excel.  When your skills are noticed at that level, you can really set yourself to succeed in your business venture.

From there you’ve got a good start, and a good idea of where to take your hobby driven career.  Use your education and your practice, and you’ve found a good starting ground to a job you’ll love.

So be conscious about everything you’re doing as you walk through the door.  When your interview begins, think about the facial expression you have.  The first thing an interviewer wants to see, is a confident positive person walking through their door.  Does your face reflect confidence, and a positive attitude?  Exactly what you should be asking yourself.  Stand up straight, reflect good posture, and smile politely.  But don’t appear overconfident, remember you don’t have the job yet, and overconfidence can be just as bad as negative body language.

From the successful entrance, make sure to shake hands with ever interviewer present.  If you’re being interviewed by a panel, or just one person, make sure to walk over to them and give a good firm handshake.  A firm handshake is important, as it shows confidence and also the ability to lead.  You’re unafraid when you give someone a firm handshake, and up for the challenge.  Make that clear by speaking through your body.

From there make sure to keep up that good posture when you sit down.  Respond positively to every question, keeping your confident and courteous demeanor no matter the topic.  Also remember to use hand gestures casually when speaking.  By using hand gestures you show a calmness during your speech that will resonate on the interviewer.  Don’t get excessive with your hand motions, but tracing a few shapes to illustrate an idea is always good.

Answer questions by leaning forward slightly, to show genuine interest and consideration in the question, and your answer.  Don’t forget to also keep your voice at a higher decibel.  You want to be heard, but you don’t have to shout.  Being too loud makes you look overconfident, and that never plays well.  Speak so all can hear you, but don’t hurt their ears.

Finally, shake hands with everyone once the interview is over, and thank them for the opportunity.  Then, keeping your posture straight, and your disposition positive and courteous, leave the room the same way you came.  If you pull off all of these factors correctly, your body language will have been pretty much impeccable.  Letting your body speak with you could even just be that edge you need to land that job.

Pick out what’s important to you at a job.  For most people a good job has decently high pay, good opportunity for industry growth, and plenty of job openings so that you have a good chance of getting a job.  Those requirements are usually a good place to start.  Industry growth is important, so that your company can stay relevant, and you can ensure a reasonable amount of job security.  When they’re hiring for more opposed to fewer job openings, you have a better chance of getting a job.  High pay speaks for itself.  Who doesn’t want that?

From that you can formulate a list of the job openings that best fit what you’re looking for.  Then you can concentrate on those openings.  Do your research about the companies offering the work, and tailor your cover letter and resume to apply to each company individually.  Putting in the personal touch will separate you from the field, as most people use generic cover letters and resume formats.  Even though that’s a huge mistake, as they’re easily spotted by hiring managers, and are very frowned upon.

If you find you have more than one offer, weigh the options between both jobs.  If job stability isn’t a huge concern, and you’re willing to take the risk for a chance at more money, go for that job.  Weigh your comfort zones against what’s available to you, and choose the job that you’re most likely to succeed with.  Making a name for yourself in one place carries weight in the IT world, so take advantage of your opportunities.