5 Things That Make Your Profile Look Unprofessional

 

Being that your professional profile and resume is the first thing that recruiters see, you definitely don't want to give off an impression that you are not an ideal candidate. Don't let the little things ruin your chances of gaining a job. So make sure you have these five things that make your profile look unprofessional in check:

#1: Email Address

If you are still using the same email address you created back in high school, make a new one immediately. Get one for your professional life and work, because nobody will take you seriously if you are prettyprincess85@gmail.com. (Save it for personal use, instead.) You can easily set up a new email on Google, Yahoo or Hotmail.

#2: Poor Grammar and Spelling

Misspelled words and bad grammar are big giveaways that make you seem unprofessional. Be sure you give your profile a second look and also ask others to proofread it for you.

#3: Phone Number

It is best that you provide a personal contact number, like your cellphone, rather than a home number. You do not want hiring managers to call you at your house number, and have a family member or roommate pick up. Just make it easier for your prospective employer with a mobile number, so they can reach you anywhere and anytime.

#4: Profile Photo

You want to provide a good first impression to the hiring manager even before you meet at the interview. You can do so with a professional, business-appropriate profile photo. Do refer to Tips for a Professional Profile Photo for more in-depth advice.

#5: Unnecessary Personal Information

It's nice to share a bit about your personality and hobbies away from work, but keep it to a reasonable amount. In case you didn't know, oversharing may actually hurt your employment prospects. So no need to share overly personal details and/or photos. Topics that you can possibly discuss about are clubs, associations or organizations you are a part of, or volunteer work that you are engaged with.

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Top 3 Pieces of Advice from Restaurant Professionals

 

Veterans in the restaurant world will tell you that working in a restaurant is a tough challenge at first, but your hard work of blood, sweat and tears will pay off in the end. And as the industry continues to grow, there are lots of opportunities out there for you to take advantage of. So go out there and build up that resume!

But to give you a little head start and some advice before you enter the field, here are some valuable pieces of advice from restaurant professionals:

#1: Be open-minded and prepare to take on other roles.

Like any other workplace, there will be lots of different personalities. Be nice to your colleagues/superiors and be willing to accept new ideas. For example, you may be asked to learn and train for another role you didn't initially apply for. It's not what you had intended to do, but it's not all that bad because you will be able to learn additional skills that can be helpful later on in your career.

#2: Every day is a new learning experience.

Not only will you learn something new every day, you will also be given a chance to improve upon yourself. It will be a continuous cycle of learning and improving, but that is how you will develop to be something even greater. For instance, if you aspire to be the head chef of a restaurant, you will start off working as a Prep Chef. As you progress and pick up new things, instead of saying "Yes, Chef", you could be promoted to Line Cook or Sous Chef. Even when you join the ranks of Executive Chef, you will still need to think about how you can better yourself.

#3: "Do what you love and the money will follow."

Don't just dream on making it big with lots of money. Make sure you put in your part first with passion, effort and diligence. After you put in your portion, you can enjoy the monetary benefits. Even if you start with an entry-level role, you can find yourself at the top. It's been known that 80 percent of restaurant owners worked their way up from the bottom to being a boss.

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How to Answer "What Is Your Biggest Weakness?"

 

"What is your biggest weakness?" is one of the most commonly asked job interview questions, and probably one of the most difficult to answer. Surely, you do not want to talk down about yourself, since it gives off a bad vibe. However, you can't just say you don't have one; nobody is perfect. So here are some helpful tips in approaching this stressful question:

#1: Be prepared.

Again, like mentioned before, everybody has flaws. Hiring managers want candidates to acknowledge that they have weaknesses or things they can work on and potentially overcome. If you have a hard time thinking up of a weakness, create a list–things you are great at, and others that you may need more help with.

#2: Keep it relative to work.

Stay on topic and keep it work-related. You want to remain professional, so avoid irrelevant answers and make sure the weakness you mention is applicable to the role you are applying for.

#3: Don't mention essential skills.

Although you want to mention a weakness that is closely related to you work, do not state skills that are crucial to the job. For example, you definitely do not want to say that you are bad at juggling multiple tasks when you are interviewing for a restaurant server or hosting job.

#4: Remember the S.T.A.R. method.

The S.T.A.R. method stands for: Situation or Task, Actions and Results. First, think of a situation or task where you faced a problem. Then, point out what actions you took to deal with it. Lastly, discuss what the end result was, and analyze whether or not you made an improvement or came to a resolution.

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Avoid These Job Interview Mistakes

 

Going into a job interview is always nerve-wracking. Even before you enter and meet the hiring manager, you have to physically and mentally prepare. Previously, we have given you some tips for the question and answering portion of interview, but here are some other common practices you must steer clear of:

#1: Do not state how nervous you are.

No matter how much your nerves get to you, do not let your interviewer know. They know that everybody gets nervous, so admitting to it makes you look unprofessional and unqualified. In addition, it gives off an impression that you will not be able to handle the work environment and stressful situations.

#2: Do not go into your interview without doing research.

Make sure you do your homework prior to going into any interview. Find out everything you can about the business, its leaders and even who you will be interviewing with. Knowing such information will be only advantageous for you when being asked questions. It also proves that you are invested in working for the company.

#3: Avoid replying with one-word answers.

Hiring managers want to hear stories about your experiences and skills. You need to elaborate and expand on your responses. For example, when asked about your past position as a server, describe your role and what you learned on the job.

#4: Do not go in question-less.

At the end of the interview, you will most likely be asked 'So, do you have any questions for me?' You definitely do not want to end the interview with just a 'No'. Prepare at least three meaningful questions in advance to ask. Do not ask obvious or overused questions. Instead, try 'What do you most enjoy about your job?' or 'What makes the company different from its competitor?' to create a personable conversation.

It's relatively easy to fix these bad habits, as long as you prepare beforehand. Take these pieces of advice with you when go on your next job interview, and good luck.

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Effective Body Language for Job Interviews

Body language is a very powerful tool. We had body language before we had speech, and apparently, 80% of what you understand in a conversation is read through the body, not the words. - Deborah Bull

Job interviews are comprised of two parts—the verbal and the non-verbal. Not only do you have to speak well, you also have to present yourself in a proper manner.

Oftentimes, interviewers pay more attention to the way you are expressing yourself through body language than to your actual words.

So here are some tips to effectively use body language for your next job interview:

#1: Make a strong first impression.

It has been said that hiring managers already have a hiring decision in their minds within the first 10 seconds of meeting you, so project confidence from the start. When entering the interview room, walk in with a steady stride, with a straightened out neck and back.

#2: Greet your interviewer with a firm, handshake.

Handshakes are extremely crucial. They can neither be weak, nor overly aggressive. Try and practice with a partner to get a sense of what is an ideal grip.

#3: Monitor your gestures and eye contact.

Limit yourself to a small amount of gesturing. Nodding in approval and quick hand gestures to demonstrate are fine, but don't over do it. Eye contact is also important to maintain an on-going conversation, but you do not want to stare down your interviewer.

#4: Avoid excessive movements.

Similar to gesturing and eye contact, keep movements to a minimum. Fidgeting and swaying in your seat are definitely not professional-looking.

#5: React to your interviewer’s body language.

If you notice that your interviewer shows a reaction, try to respond to it. For example, if you see that he/she has a puzzled look or facial expression, may be that signifies that you should repeat or explain further to clearly convey your message.

Take these tips into consideration for your next job interview, and you'll be sure to impress your interviewer.

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