The document provides tips for writing a resume and preparing for a job interview, including how to identify one's strengths and qualifications, research the job requirements and company, anticipate common interview questions, and ensure proper grooming and attire. It also outlines the main components of a resume like contact information, career objective, work history, education, and references. Personal grooming habits and appropriate workplace attire are also discussed.

1. Getting off to
a Good Start
January 16, 2013

2. How much do
I know my
self?
Do some
self
scanning

3. PROFESSIONAL
GROOMING

4. What is Grooming
Personal grooming is important for
a positive self-image and every effort
should be made to encourage and
assist the person to maintain a pleasing
and attractive appearance.

5. Some of the perceptions people can form
solely from your appearance are:
• Your professionalism.
• Your level of sophistication.
• Your intelligence.
• Your credibility.

6. Personal Grooming Habits
Grooming involves all the aspects of
your body:
• Overall Cleanliness
• Hair
• Nails
• Teeth
• Uniform
• Make-up

7. Personal Grooming Habits: HAIR
• It is your crowning glory.
• Keep it at a length and style at which
you can maintain it.
• Wash your hair everyday.
• Hair color should not be more than
one or two shades darker or lighter
than your natural hair color. Unnatural
colors (burgundy, green, etc.) must be
avoided.

8. Hair Styles (Males)
• Not fall over the ears, eyebrows or
even touch the back of the collar
• Will always present a neat
appearance.
• Facial hair should be neatly trimmed
(moustache, sideburns), beards are
not recommended

9. Hairstyles (Females)
• Tie your hair in a neat hairstyle with
hair pulled back from face.
• Hair if longer than jawline should be
tied into a bun.
• Should be well groomed with a neat
appearance at all times.
• Hair holding devices should be plain
and of natural colors.

10. Nails
• Clip nails short, along their shape.
• A healthy body ensures healthy
nails.
• Brittle or discolored nails show up
deficiencies or disease conditions.

11. Teeth
• Brush teeth every after meal and
rinse well.
• For those who smoke, it is
important you rinse your mouth
after every smoke and use a mouth
freshner.

12. Uniform
• Your uniform talks a lot about your
organization.
• First impressions are made within the
first 5 minutes of meeting someone
• A clean and well ironed uniform is
acceptable and appreciated by one
and all at all times.

13. Examples of Appropriate Attire for Men
Business
Casual
Attire
Business
Professional
Attire

15. Examples of Appropriate Attire for Women
Business
Casual
Attire
Business
Professional
Attire

16. What is too casual?

17. What is Inappropriate Attire for Work?

18. Examples of Unprofessional and
Inappropriate Attire
•Midriff baring clothing
•Miniskirts
•Excessively high heeled shoes
•Caps (headwear) indoors
•Very tight clothing
Clothing that reveals cleavage, your
back, your chest, your stomach or
your underwear is not appropriate
for the workplace, even in a business
casual setting.

19. Which is appropriate?
A) B) C)

20. Which is appropriate?
A) B) C)
D)
E)
F)

21. Make-up (Females)
• Makeup should be natural looking.
• Lip color should not be too trendy or
bright.
• Use only mild fragrance.
• Women: stay away from extremely
dark, bright reds and fluorescent
colors.

23. • Men should limit accessories/jewelry
to 3 pieces
• Accessories include watch, ring,
handkerchief
• A dress watch should be worn, avoid
athletic styles.
• Avoid bracelets, necklaces, and
visible piercing
Accessories (Males)

24. Accessories (Women)
• Jewelry should be keep minimal and
conservative
• Remove all facial piercing except
earrings
• The 5 Piece Rule: Wear only 5
accessories - earrings count as 2;
watch counts as 3, allowing 2
additional accessories,

25. • Jewelry, Makeup, Perfume,
and Cologne:
Should be in good taste, with no
visible body piercing other than
pierced ears
Hats and Head Covering:
Hats and caps are not appropriate in
the office. Head Covers that are
required for religious purposes or to
honor cultural tradition are allowed.

26. Shoes (Males)
• Lace up conservative shoes are the most
appropriate.
• Choose black, brown or burgundy shoes.
Shoe color should match your trousers or be
of a darker color.
• Shoes should be in good condition and
polished.
• Socks should match the color of your suit and
cover your calves. (Should be washed daily)
• Belts should be in good condition and match
the color of your shoes.

27. Shoes (Females)
• Shoes should be pumps or sling
backs, do not wear shoes with open
toes, open heel, or ankle straps.
• Shoes should be of good quality
leather.
• Shoe color should be darker than your
trouser.
• Heels should be 1-2 inches; higher
heels should be saved for after hours.

28. Which is inappropriate?
A)
C)
B)

29. Which is appropriate?
A)
C)
B)
D)

30. SNEAKERS: What is appropriate (for those authorized by
duty/assignment to wear athletic shoes)
• Appropriate, conservative athletic shoe
• Inappropriate, flashy athletic shoe

31. There is a time and a
place for all attire. Clothing
that works well for the
beach, yard work, dance
clubs, trips to the mall,
exercise sessions, and
sports contests may not
be appropriate for a
professional appearance
at work.

33. to

34. Getting off to
a Good Start
January 16, 2013

36. As you prepare to launch your
search, it is important to start off
on the right foot to make fewer
mistakes and waste less time on
the trail.
More than anywhere else, here is where,
planning preparation and research are crucial.

37. It is equally critical that you have a solid
idea of where you want to go. To point
you in the right direction, here are key
questions you could ask yourself before
you take the plunge.

38. What career will suit my lifestyle?

39. Your work is only an aspect of your life, so look for work
that will fit your life, not the other way round. By
envisioning the life you want, you narrow your choices to
those careers that complement that vision.

40. Would you prefer working in a big company and managing a large
staff, or running your business with a couple of assistants?

41. Which would make you happier? Being office-bound, or doing
fieldwork all day? Do office colleagues surround you at your
performing best, or do you learn for a flexible arrangement that
allows you to work partly from home?

42. What are my
talents and
Skills?/ What do
I like doing?
Look for a job that you feel can make full use of
your skills and abilities.
It doesn’t seem like work when you enjoy what
you are doing. So find out what really
catches your interest, what stirs your passion.

43. Think of the following?
 Do you have the gift of gab and
can sell just about anything?
 Or are you the creative type, with
a flair of words or an eye for
design?
 Are you good in a particular
sport?
 Can you cook like a pro?
 Do you have a green thumb?
 Do you consider research as your
passion?
 Do you like the idea of teaching
little children and molding their
young minds?
 Or are you more attracted to a life
of public service?
 Is creative work your cup of tea?
 Or are you more at home in the
realm of cold logic ad hard facts?

44. What don’t I like about work?
Conversely, asking yourself
what you cannot stand doing –
what bores you to death – will
help you further focus.
Are you comfortable striking
up a conversation with
strangers?
Does anything technical make
you yawn?
Do you abhor the limelight?
Do you hate the unexpected?

45. They should give you a mental picture of who you
are?, what are your ideal life, your perceived
skills, and your turn-ons and turn-offs?
After writing down your answers, go
over them, and see how they fit
together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

46. Approach friends, professionals and acquaintances that
hold jobs you find interesting.
Now look outward for your validation. Read
up on or surf the Internet for careers that
might suit your lifestyle.

47. Request if you could do
informational interviews (ask them
about particulars of their work) or
“shadow” them (observe them in action
at work). Your objective is to form a
clearer image of what they really do
– and more importantly, to assess
whether you would like to be in their
place.

48. From your findings, you can begin a more informed search
for your dream career. In the final analysis, your career
choice should depend on your perceived happiness
on the job, the potential rewards, and your chances of

50. ‘

51. Resumé Writing
• Doing the Research
• Figuring Out Your Job Opportunities
• Highlights
• Relevant Skills ad Experience
• Work History
• Education and Training
• Putting it All Together

52. The next step would be to prepare your resumé.
Your career direction will find its name and
shape in increments. In other words, everything
you study and explore now will contribute to the
resumé you send out during your senior year.
Your resume will include academic
achievements, extracurricular activities and
work experiences. Aside from a summary of
your abilities, work experience and education, a
resumé should reveal your unique selling point
to entice a potential employer to buy “you”.
(Santamaria, 1991)

53. and
its
parts

55. Parts of the Resumé
This includes the following:
Heading
Objectives/Career Goal
Job Position Being Applied For
Education
Work Experience
Personal Details
References

56. Heading
Resumés are usually headed with
your name, address, and
telephone number. This
information may either be centered
at the top of the page or placed in
the top left-hand corner.

57. Objectives/ Career Goal
Our career goal, which follows our personal
identification, is one entry that every
employer is interested in. We must be as
specific as we can, listing our immediate
goal and not just some vague future
dream. If our ultimate goal is related to the
job we are applying for, however, we can
add it immediately underneath.

58. Job Position Being Applied For
We must specify the position we are
applying for.
Examples:
System Analyst, Account Executive, etc.
This position must be related to our career
goal.

59. Education
This major section should state the most important
qualifications we can offer for the job we are
applying for. If it is work experience, that section
should come next. If it is our educational
background that is more important, place it first.
In either case, we must tailor our qualifications
to fit the job requirements. This does not mean,
however that we are to falsify the information we
provide. It simply means that we are to pick out
those qualifications that have the most direct
relationship to the job for which we are applying.

60. Education
The most common way to describe our education
is to list any university, college or vocational school
we have attended with dates of attendances and
any diplomas or certificates we have obtained. We
always pace our most recent educational
experience at the top of the list and work back
from there. If we want to stress our education, we
may want to include our major field of study and
names of significant courses, which we have
completed.

61. Work Experience
There are two acceptable ways of
presenting our work background. The most
common is to list our jobs in chronological
order, with the present or the most recent
one heading the list.

62. With such an arrangement, the prospective employer
can readily detect our progress or promotions. If we
use this format, we should show the following:
a.Position held
b.Name and Location of Company
c.Date the position was held
d.Achievement in the Position
e.Reason for Leaving
f. Duties (emphasize responsibilities)
g.Name of Immediate Supervisor (If the person is still there and
might be a good reference)
h.Job title of supervisor (e.g. systems analyst, field sales
manager. etc.)

63. Personal Details
Personal data include sex, age, date and
place of birth, race, religion, marital status
(including number of children). Health,
height, weight, interests, and hobbies.

64. References
Applicants for a job are usually requested to
give the names of at least three persons
who can be asked or called to speak about
us. The most appropriate persons include
present or former employers, teachers, and
other professionals. Also acceptable is a
character reference whose name of
occupation is respected.

65. RESUMÉ WRITING TIPS
(JOBSTREET.COM 2003)

66. RESUMÉ WRITING TIPS
(JOBSTREET.COM 2003)
1. Avoid spelling boo-boos.
Errors, especially simple typo blunders, reflect
poorly of the applicant. Proofread over and over
until you resumé is perfect.
2. Streamline.
Remove personal pronouns like “I” and articles like
“a”, “an” and “the” to create punchy phrases and
maximize space.

67. RESUMÉ WRITING TIPS
(JOBSTREET.COM 2003)
3. Use power verbs.
Action words add “oomph” to your writing
and enable you to describe clearly what you
did and how well you did it.
4. Use personal details sparingly.
Leave out extraneous information to free up
limited space. This includes names and
occupations of parents, hobbies and interests,
birthplace, etc. Reserve them for the interview
proper.

68. RESUMÉ WRITING TIPS
(JOBSTREET.COM 2003)
5. Be concise.
Resumés are often read in 30 seconds or less so be
brief and to the point. Use bullet points to
underscore important information. Employ
paragraph breaks, lines, and numbers. Keep to no
more than two pages – three at most if you really
have extensive professional experience.
6. Make it an easy read.
Your resumé should be visually appealing: a carelessly
printed, sloppily designed resumé is a challenge most
recruiters would not bite. Use lots of white spaces, a font
size of at least 10 , an at most conservative typestyles.
Underline and bold text should be used sparingly and only to
highlight significant data or indicate section breaks.

69. RESUMÉ
DO’s & DON’Ts

70. Be honest.
Put extra effort when preparing and
writing your resume. Your application
is your first contact with your
potential employer.
RESUMÉ DO’s:

71. Use appropriate business language
when composing your resume.
Have brief, concise and complete information in
your resume. Make sure that your resume says it
all about yourself- your skills and personal
qualities that qualify you for the job. Your resume
should be a summary of your personal statement
to date. It should highlight the particular
information that the employer needs to know
about you.
RESUMÉ DO’s:

72. Show continuous pattern of your
accomplishments, progress and
ambition related to the employer's
needs.
Consider appearance as a very important
factor to the overall presentation of your
resume. It should be visually pleasing and
free of any grammatical and typographical
errors.
RESUMÉ DO’s:

73. • Don't put any unnecessary information
that will make you uncomfortable with
the contents and presentation of your
resume.
• Don't use words that you are not familiar
with.
• Don't let your resume run too long.
• Don't use exotic fonts that are not
readable.
RESUMÉ DON’Ts:

75. 8 Tips on Getting Ready for the
Interview
1. Know your strengths and weaknesses.
2. Know the requirements of the job so that
you can relate how your qualifications
compare with these requirements.
3. Know the company
4. Know the difficult questions that are typically
asked and prepare your answer to these
questions.
5. Write down your on questions.
6. Rehearse the interview.
7. Attend to your personal appearance.
8. Check the details of the Interview

76. 1. Know your strengths and weaknesses
Be prepared with a solid presentation
of your strong points so that your
weaknesses seem light in
comparison. The interviewer will be
constantly probing for weaknesses
and testing for strengths.

77. 2. Know the requirements of the job so that you
can relate how your qualifications compare with
these requirements
You must be able to show the fit between
“what you can do” and “what must be
done”. You must be prepared to show why
you should be hired.

78. 3. Know the company.
Its products and/or services, its
competitors, its history, size, location
of plants and the likes. A brief
description of the company usually
accompanies an advertisement for
vacant position.

79. 4. Know the difficult questions that are typically
asked and prepare your answer to these questions.
If you don’t know the answers to these
questions, then interview resource
persons thru your network.

80. 5. Write down your on questions.
Near the end of the interview you will
usually be asked if you have your
questions. This is the time to inquire
about the nature of the work, the
working conditions, working hours,
training programs given to employees,
how much the job pays, the benefits
given to regular employees, chances
for career growth and advancement,
and any other points that may not
have been discussed.

81. 6. Rehearse the interview.
Know what the interviewer is going to look for
which these includes:
* Your appearance, attitudes, mannerism, gestures.
* Your time of arrival
*How you react to stressful situations. For example, do you
change the subject/ do you give irrelevant and disorganize
answers?
*Clues about your state of mind and personality. Are you alert and
responsive to questions? Are you relaxed? Do you smile easily
and use humor appropriately? Do you speak in a clear voice? Is
your presentation well-organized? Do you speak favorably of other
people? Do you give honest answers to questions?
*Answers that reveal your drive and ambition, your ability to think
and plan ahead, as well as your willingness to assume
responsibilities.

82. 7. Attend to your personal appearance.
Your preparation will produce few
results if you neglect your personal
appearance. The people who will be
deciding whether to hire you or not
will be looking at you very closely.

83. 8. Check the details of the interview.
Find out the exact time and place for your
appointment and program yourself to allow
emergencies, such as traffic jam or flat tire.
If you are unfamiliar with the location where
the interview will take place, you should
check it out beforehand. You should plan to
arrive at the designated place at least 15
minutes ahead of schedule. While waiting,
you can use the time to review the points to
be covered in the interview or to observe the
office environment

84. Let’s have a QUICK RECAP
on JOB INTERVIEWS

85. PREPARATION FOR THE INTERVIEW
Be physically and mentally prepared.
Decide what to wear days before the
interview. Being well-groomed and having
a good appearance is essential. Have a
good night's sleep, eat a healthy meal and
allow plenty of travel time.

86. PREPARATION FOR THE INTERVIEW
Be on time. Before the day of the
interview, make sure where the interview
would be held. Take time to find out
where the location of the interview is days
before the actual interview. Keep in mind
to leave enough time for your journey.

87. PREPARATION FOR THE INTERVIEW
Be proactive. Do research on the organization
by reviewing its corporate profile and by
reading some relevant information through
websites and print materials. Find out the
specifics of the job you are applying for and try
to prepare some questions about the company
- its culture, goals and mission.

88. PREPARATION FOR THE INTERVIEW
Be your best self. Spend time researching
about yourself. Review your past experiences
and accomplishments that may fit the needs of
the company. Being able to have a grasp of
your talents, skills and experiences would
enable you to communicate the contributions
you can make for the company.

89. PREPARATION FOR THE INTERVIEW
Be Positive. By being well-prepared, you
eliminate nervousness. Just enjoy the
interview and be enthusiastic when
responding to the interviewer's questions.
Confidence and a pleasant disposition
brings out the positive energy in you.

90. THE INTERVIEW
Relax and be yourself.
Remember to turn off your cell phone before the start of
the interview.
Some first impression gestures are handshakes, eye
contact, warm smiles, good posture and a confident
introduction of self.
If there are two or more interviewers, be sure to address
all the interviewers in the room when answering the
questions.

91. THE INTERVIEW
Take time to think before you answer questions.
A well-thought answer is always better than a rushed
one. Try to give complete answers as much as possible
and if you do not understand the question, ask for
clarification.
Use concrete experiences to illustrate important
information about yourself.
would be. Know what to expect and when to hear
from them.

92. THE INTERVIEW
Avoid using poor or slang language to impress
the interviewer.
Use familiar but concise words during the
interview.
Show interest during an interview by striking a
good balance between speaking and listening.

93. THE INTERVIEW
Be honest.
Answer the questions truthfully
and be fair to yourself.

94. THE INTERVIEW
Make sure to highlight your good points.
This would enable the interviewer to asses your
performance at work and your potentials to be an
effective employee.
When being asked about your weaknesses and
failures, mention how you were able to handle the
difficult situation, share the lessons you learned and
the improvements you would take to convert certain
weaknesses to strengths.

95. THE INTERVIEW
Don't act desperate by telling the interviewer you are willing to
take any job offered.
If you have some points that you weren't able to discuss
towards the end of the interview, take the initiative to mention
a couple of things you want the interviewer to know about you.
Before leaving an interview, ask the interviewer what the next
steps would be. Know what to expect and when to hear from
them.

96. AFTER THE INTERVIEW
Thank the interviewer for the time spent with you.
Make some notes regarding the things you learned
about the company. These may be helpful for your
next sets of interviews.
Make a follow-up call to know your status and your
succeeding interviews.

97. Don’t forget

98. To have
Take a deep breath. Sometimes they
don’t know, but they can smell irritation and fear.

99. Say EXCUSE ME
Otherwise you may sound
demanding and impatient.

100. and
Because everyone likes to be thanked.

101. Go the extra mile
Always
It helps to create the SMART IMPRESSIONS
that YOU want to come back.

102. Be prepared for
a long and winding road
(It might be tougher than you think.)

103. … and one last thing …
again do NOT be NERVOUS!!!

104. Have confidence in yourself
You’ll do better than
you think.

106. As long as its related to Careers…

107. T