When the interviewer asks you to tell him or her about yourself, simply finish this sentence: “I’m kind of like a…”, then pick a specific image of an object, person or animal that represents you and explain why. For instance, you could say, “I’m kind of like a band leader—I coordinate all the musicians and make sure everyone is playing at their very best” or “I’m kind of like a pit bull—I’m loyal, steadfast and work till I get the job done.” “Creating a vivid image engages the interviewer’s senses and emotions, which makes you automatically more memorable than a job applicant who just talks about facts and figures,” says Nicholas Boothman, author of Convince Them In 90 Second or Less.
[photo: StephPowell]
To start off on the right foot at a new place of employment, think positive! In a new study of over 500 recently hired workers from a wide range of fields, researchers found that those who expected to be successful at jumping right in and getting the hang of things were, in fact, more successful than their less positive peers. The reason? Their upbeat attitude made them more willing to seek out information about their workgroup, tasks and organization that helped get them up and running faster, explains study author Sarah Burke, Ph.D., a researcher at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.
Have a standout resume, but tend to get tongue-tied in the interview? Get free question-and-answer practice at 
In a recent 
Many of us think of a temp job as a last resort, yet University of Florida researchers found they’re often just the opposite. Their recent study shows that 
Contrary to the old belief that kidding around isn’t appropriate at the office, researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia found that just the opposite is true: an occasional joke among colleagues improves creativity, the ability to work as a team and overall performance.
If you’re hunting for a job, chances are you’re going to be asked to do a preliminary phone interview at some point. “More employers are using this method to help them whittle down their choice of candidates to invite to an in-person interview,” says Marci Alboher, career expert for the Yahoo.com blog Working the New Economy. But it’s not just your job skills they’re interested in learning about. “They also want to get a sense of your personality, communication skills and ability to focus on a task.” Luckily, showing them over the phone is easy, says Alboher. Start by… 
“Your cover letter is the first thing most employers read and sparks their interest in knowing more about you,” says Louise Kursmark, co-author of 15-Minute Cover Letter: Write an Effective Cover Letter Right Now. Here are her four easy tips to writing a cover letter that gets you noticed: 
Think it’s flubbing a question or looking too nervous? Nope! Believe it or not, the majority of hiring managers surveyed by 
About three out of four hiring managers head to social networking websites—such as LinkedIn and Facebook—to check out potential job candidates before deciding to call them in for an interview. To up your chances of getting that important call, post a photo on your web page that shows you smiling and relaxed. This kind of pose makes people perceive you as warm and friendly, according to a new study in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. And that’s key since friendliness is a trait most employers look for.
Rooted for Meg Ryan’s indie bookstore in You’ve Got Mail? Have friends who own a small business in the neighborhood? Believe that by supporting your locally-owned 