Work. Job Satisfaction

How do you apply for a job?

1. Decide what kind of job you want. In order to streamline the job application process, examine what your needs and desires are for employment: consider the career field; consider the skills required for a particular position; consider your salary and benefit requirements. 2. Do your research. Before you begin sending out resumes and cover letters en masse, look into the companies you are applying for. Get a sense of the company’s personality and values by reading its mission statement. 3. Write a resume. Even if the job you want doesn’t require the submission of a traditional resume, having an up-to-date resume is highly recommended. Resumes not only outline your education and work history, but they can also point to specific projects you’ve worked on or awards you’ve won. 4. Contact the employer to ask about the application process. You will likely have your call routed to the hiring or human resources manager. If they have openings, they may ask you to either come in to fill out an application or that you send them your resume and cover letter by mail or e-mail. 5. Write a cover letter, if necessary. Make sure it is specific to both the company and the job. If possible, address the contact letter to a specific contact person. This demonstrates that you took the time to research the information and are not simply mass-emailing every employer you can find. 6. Get a second (or third) opinion. Ask friends or family members to review your resume and cover letter for typos. They may be able to point out things that are missing, or items that could be rephrased. If possible, get advice from someone working in the field you are applying for. 7. Locate references. Though you may not have to provide a list of references right away, it is wise to tap people early to ask whether they would consider being a professional reference for you. It is recommended that you secure at least three references. At least two of these references should be people whom you have worked with and who can speak to your job performance. 8. Apply. Once you have fine-tuned your resume and cover letter, it is time to begin the application process. Applications are typically submitted in one of three ways: In person. Bring a packet containing all your materials to the prospective employer's workplace. Online. Online applications vary – some may ask you to fill in fields, while others may require that you attach PDFs of your cover letter and resume. Some companies request that you email your materials to their Human Resources department. It is important to follow directions--if they ask that you send your resume in the body of the email, do not send an attachment! By mail. If requested, be sure to include the name of the hiring or HR manager on all of the correspondence. 9. Follow up. Checking on the status of your application shows your interest in the position and ensures that your application materials have made it to the appropriate person. Calling right away can seem demanding and off-putting. Pay attention to job "close date." Most jobs posted online will have a posted closing date. Calling the hiring manager before this date can make you seem overly eager and desperate. If there is no close date, a good rule of thumb is to make contact one week after application submission.

How to create a good impression at a job interview? Interview Do's and Dont's

To Do's -- Arrive 15 minutes early. Late attendance is never excusable. Clarify questions. Be sure you answered the questions the employer really asked. Get the interviewer to describe the position and responsibilities early in the conversation so you can relate your skills and background to the position throughout the interview. Give your qualifications. Stress the accomplishments that are most pertinent to the job. Conduct yourself professionally. Be aware of what your body language is saying. Smile, make eye contact, don’t slouch and maintain composure. Anticipate tough questions. Prepare in advance so you can turn apparent weaknesses into strengths. Dress appropriately. Make your first impression a professional one. Ask questions throughout the interview. An interview should be a mutual exchange of information, not a one-sided conversation. Listen. This is probably the most important "do" of all. By concentrating not only on the employer’s words, but also on the tone of voice and body language, you will be able to pick up on the employer’s style. Once you understand how a hiring authority thinks, pattern your answers accordingly and you will be able to better relate to him or her.

Not To Do's -- Don’t answer vague questions. Rather than answering questions you think you hear, get the employer to be more specific and then respond. Never interrupt the employer. If you don’t have time to listen, neither does the employer. Don’t smoke, chew gum or place anything on the employer’s desk. Don’t be overly familiar, even if the employer is doing all of these things. Don’t wear heavy perfume or cologne. Don’t ramble. Long answers often make the speaker sound apologetic or indecisive. On the other hand, don’t answer questions with a simple "yes" or "no." Explain whenever possible. Do not lie. Answer questions as truthfully as possible. Do not make derogatory remarks about your present or former employers or companies.

What’s important in a job for you?

“It’s the money of course”, some say with a smile, as if explaining something to a small child. Or “it’s the satisfaction of a job, the sense of achievement behind the clinching of an important deal”. “Work is power and a sense of status,” say those who have either attained these elusive goals, or feel distressed that nobody has yet recognized their leadership qualities. For me, the most important thing in my job is the satisfaction of a job, the sense of achievement. But it is also important for me to make my job work for me. Your job can be a step in the direction of the rest of your life. How you feel about it what you learn from it, what you do with it does help you to decide where you go from here. I want my job to be a pleasure. I’ve always disliked people who get up early in the morning cursing everything around because they don’t want to do what they do. I prefer waking up thinking “Ah, it’s going to be a terrible day… But I’ll get over it and feel great afterwards. I can do it! I love my job and today I’ll learn something new and get some experience”. Having a job and having a career are two very different things. A job is something you do to make money. You may enjoy the job, work hard at it and do well, but you are primarily doing it for money to satisfy your other interests outside of the work environment. A career is something that integrates your desirers and interests so that it gives you satisfaction above and beyond the money you make.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

My strengths are hard work but done smartly, flexibility with any type of environment, I’m punctual, self motivated, positive thinker and quick learner. My weaknesses are that I'm restless till my work is incomplete, I’m emotional and sensitive and also easy to trust others.

What job suits you? Why?

I am convinced that for every trade, profession or occupation you have to acquire necessary skills and practical experience. Not all professions require higher education and they are of great demand now and satisfy the needs of society. But I see things a little differently, because it is my firm belief that learning is the greatest of all adventures, and being a highly educated person gives you top priority and a position in society and what is most important - self-satisfaction. And now being not so far from leaving university the career sounds interesting to me if I have a higher education, good working conditions, if I can get steady salary, if it suits my interests, if it is not monotonous and gives me promotion in the future, if it helps me to establish myself in life and can give me independence and opportunities to develop special abilities and of course if I'm able to take it up and my interests can be channeled in to this work. I think that the job that suits me is an interpreter. I interpreters have opportunities to visit different countries and continents. It attracts me, because I get acquainted with various peoples and I learn their customs, rituals and traditions. I'm sure that this creative profession enriches our mind and we become more educated. I think that an interpreter is a very useful profession, because it helps people to communicate. But of course if you want to be an interpreter, you will need definite qualification. At first you must know one foreign language at least. It's good, if you know English (the language of the planet) and any other language. Also you should know colloquial expressions and slang. You should know the history of the country the language of which you are studying, ways of life that are typical for this country, etc. And of course you must be a sociable, communicative and patient person. I think that this kind of career will suit me because I have all qualifications that are needed. But I must continue to work on my language. I like this job and I hope that after getting the diploma and learning Itallian I’ll be able to become a part of the official stuff of my translation agency. I hope that my dream will be realized. I try very hard to fulfill my ambitions.

What attributes help one to be successful in one’s career?

The reasons why people succeed in their careers are probably as numerous as the number of successful people. When we begin to think about the qualities these people possess, it becomes apparent that we can classify or catagorize them into a few specific groups: those who really enjoy their work, those who are obsessed with their work (they either want to be the 'best'; or have a fear of failure), those who are blessed with exceptional talent in their field, and those who have planned their work and worked their plan. Because the world has become so competitive, you will have to do your best to secure your share of success. The following are tips to get you ahead in your career: 1. Priorities and goals. What are your priorities of the day? Make a list and of your priorities and plan your day. The tasks of the day must be outlined with the most important and urgent ones on top. Likewise determine your short-term and long-term goals and evaluate your progress frequently. 2. Be focused. Are you really present physically and mentally. Try to block out all distractions so that you have the time to truly focus on your tasks and career. 3. Broaden your skills. Nothing remains the same and so do job requirements. Update your knowledge and skills. Seek improvement of your know-hows. Attend seminars, conferences, read books, be an eternal learner. 4. Socialize. Be ready to participate in social functions. Be open to new acquaintances. Meet new people and deal with them respectfully and enthusiastically. Be an active listener; you will surely learn something new... 5. Know your merits. Know your strengths and weaknesses. If you think you deserve a position or promotion, claim it. 6. Accept challenge. Through challenge you will reach areas of your personality you have never discovered before. It is a good idea to step away from your comfort zone to explore new horizons. If you settle into a routine and play it safe all the time, you will never get ahead in your career. 'If you always do what you've always done, you'll only get what you've already got'. 7. Communication. Learn to communicate effectively. Listen to what others are saying and focus on how to give and receive constructive feedback, to persuade effectively and to ask for help and collect information. 8. Avoid gossip. Avoid office gossip about colleagues and the boss. Be respectful and work for the good of the company. 9 Relax. Relax and do something different, a hobby that you love doing. Take time off for yourself. This will help boost your productivity during week days. 10. Seek satisfaction. If you are disappointed with what you are doing, try to transform it into something you love. If you fail, it might be a good idea to do something different. As Confucius said: ' Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. '

What are the career prospects for language students?

Job prospects vary from secretarial, executive and public relation assignments as well as for translation and interpretation jobs. Opportunities for regular employment are few,attaining professional qualification in foreign languages, one can work in the following areas.

TEACHING: The most common of all the available career options in foreign language is teaching. language. As a teacher, a person get enough opportunities to increase the skills. As far as teaching jobs are concerned, many institutions are offering courses in foreign languages and so jobs exists at all levels. Those reluctant to engage themselves in a full-time profession, can take private tuition as well.

INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLATORS: Interpreters and translators both need to have a good command over two or more languages. Interpreters job relates to interpreting spoken words of one language into another, therefore needs to have not only good command over the language but have excellent verbal communication skills. Translation work can be related to a variety of fields like technical, scientific literary or business. Translators work on books, scripts, articles and translate them into specified languages. Apart from having linguistic skills, a translator must possess adequate knowledge in the area of the work so as to maintain the style and essence of the original text.

FREELANCING: Often, after pursuing courses in foreign languages, people like to work as freelancers. These people get work in translation bureaus, research organisations, international organisations like UNO, FAO, foreign companies, Reserve Bank of India, publishing houses etc. Expertise in foreign language coupled with other additional qualifications in areas like management, tourism, hospitality industry, airlines can be even fruitful and better the chances for employment opportunities.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of teaching as a career?

There truly are many positive aspects of being a teacher. Each day is different from the next. You get to meet new young people each year and spend most of your time with them (a preference to adults, IMO). The satisfaction of seeing these students learn new things each day is immense, and being around teens all day help to keep me younger at heart. The school day is generally shorter than most other 8-to-5 jobs, and the summer vacation each year is a major plus. I also like the fact that teaching has a beginning and end each year that many jobs do not allow. Negatives include the low pay that teachers receive in comparison to most other college-educated professions; constant discipline problems and students who come to school for social (not educational) purposes; excessive non-scholastic paperwork; and the monumental task of grading papers (during mostly non-school hours).