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]

Have a standout resume, but tend to get tongue-tied in the interview? Get free question-and-answer practice at bettertalking.com. Simply log in, then sign up and use a PIN number to call into an automated system that asks you common interview questions, such as “Tell me about yourself”, “What are your greatest strengths?” and “What are your greatest weaknesses?” Your answers will be recorded so you can play them back on the website and figure out which ones sound great and which ones you need to work on. Bonus: You can send the recordings to friends and family members to get their input.

[photo: I Don't Know, Maybe]

Want to land a job? Start a new business? Find romance? You can boost your luck in finding these and more by simply introducing yourself to new folks at pot luck dinners, P.T.A. meetings, St. Patty’s Day parties and other social events. Ten years of luck studies prove that the luckiest folks around are those who know lots of people, says psychologist Richard Wiseman, Ph.D., author of The Luck Factor. The reason? Word of mouth is by far the best way to find out about great opportunities you would have otherwise missed, he explains.

[photo: Roy Montgomery]

In a recent CareerBuilder.com survey, nearly a third of employers say they research job candidates on Facebook.com, LinkedIn.com and other social networking sites. And that’s good news, since 24% of them found information that made them more likely to hire the candidate. Here’s what they’re looking for in your profile:
* 48% want more information about how your background qualifies you for the position
* 43% want to see that you have great communication skills
* 40% want to find out if you’ll fit in with the company
* 36% want to make sure that your page conveys a professional image
* 31% want to read positive references posted about you by others
* 30% want to know if you have a wide range of interests
* 29% want to learn about awards and accolades you’ve received
* 24% want to find out how much creativity you put into your profile

[photo: Scott & Elaine van der Chijs]

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 temporary workers usually earn about 15% higher hourly wages than permanent workers since companies don’t have to pay for health, retirement and other costly benefits. And, if you’re seeking a permanent position, starting with a temp job can help you snag it. Like interning, temping helps you get your foot in the door of a company where you want to have a career. In fact, this study reveals that three out of four temporary employees they studied ended up in regular jobs. No wonder: When employers see how hard you work while you temp, they’re happy to hire you for a permanent position.

Tip: Temping agencies are looking for all kinds of skills—including secretarial, accounting and sales. Start by searching the job listings at national temporary employment agencies including kellyservices.com, manpower.com and officeteam.com.

[photo: radiantradon]

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…
* Revealing your warm side by smiling. Friendliness is a key trait virtually all interviewers look for since it means you’re likely to get along well with other employees. And British researchers at the University of Portsmouth say that expressing your friendly side is easy: just smile. In their recent study, people who could hear but not see someone who was talking knew when the talker was smiling. They could even tell how big their grin was.
* Impressing interviewers by dressing up. Even though they can’t see you, your professionalism will shine through loud and clear. That’s because decades of research shows that the tone of your voice and attitude changes according to the outfit you wear: dressing in PJs and slippers makes you sound more casual; donning business attire and dressy shoes makes you instantly sound more business-like.
* Keeping your focus by dialing this! If you’re asked to call in for the interview, first dial *70. This disables call waiting on most phones and prevents the call waiting signal from losing your train of thought and blocking out something important that was being said. Once you hang up, your call waiting service is automatically re-activated. (Is the prospective employee calling you? Then ask frequent callers—like your Mom, sister or best friend—to avoid ringing you during your phone interview.)

[photo: tandemracer]

“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:
1. Start with a name. Whenever possible, avoid addressing your letter “To whom it may concern.” If you don’t know the name of the person who’ll receive your letter, head to linkedin.com to find the name of the hiring manager or a contact in the human resources department or call the company and ask for it.
2. Mention what you can do for them. Writing about what attracted you to the company may be an effective way to butter them up, but saying how you can improve their bottom line, get better results or recreate the kind of achievements you had at past jobs makes you instantly more hirable. “It shows that you’re willing to go the extra mile to make the company a success.”
3. Keep it short and simple. People get bored reading long, densely-worded letters and will give up before reaching the end. So, avoid retelling your entire work history (that’s what your resume is for), and instead focus on touching on just a few key skills and successes.
4. End with a memorable P.S.. Most people naturally jump to the P.S. portion of a letter first. You can take advantage of this quirk by writing something in the postscript that’s sure to impress, such as a special skill or achievement, for example, “I’m also fluent in Spanish, which enabled me to increase the Spanish-speaking customer base by 20% when I was the assistant branch manager at my last job.”

Tip: Does the job ad you’re responding to ask for a resume, but doesn’t mention a cover letter? Send one, anyway, since it’s usually expected and will help you stand out from others who don’t send one.

[photo: lululemon]

Think it’s flubbing a question or looking too nervous? Nope! Believe it or not, the majority of hiring managers surveyed by CareerBuilder.com said their biggest turn-off was job applicants who came to the interview dressed too casually. Other top pet peeves that bothered…
* 49%: Bad-mouthing a past employer.
* 48%: Not showing enough enthusiasm.
* 44%: Coming across like a know-it-all.
* 30%: Offering no specifics when answering questions.

[photo: Pink Sherbet Photography]

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.

[photo: Benjamin Earwicker]

On the phone with a potential client? Employer? Hot date? You already know that smiling is one of the quickest ways to make a good impression in person. Now researchers from the U.K.’s University of Portsmouth have discovered this simple-yet-powerful method works during phone calls, too. Even though the person you’re speaking with can’t see your pearly whites, their brain picks up on the subtle voice changes that occur when you grin, enabling them to know when you’re smiling.

[photo: Kym Parry]