Most of us spend a great deal of time preparing a resume and cover letter. We want to make sure we look our best to someone who’s never seen us. It’s kind of like going to a business meeting where no one knows you: you must look sharp.

However, when that phone call comes in and, if you handle it well, then you have an interview set. From that moment, you have to prepare for that interview – just like preparing the resume and cover letter. This is something that I feel many people overlook. Yes you can prepare for an interview. No you won’t know all the questions that will be asked, but there is typically a few questions that every recruiter or company will want to know the answers to. I’ve listed eight of the most often asked questions.

Sit down and actually think about each question and decide on a very real answer. Don’t think up a good-sounding fake answer because it will not work. Be for real. Then rehearse those answers one by one until you can answer immediately when asked that question. The main reason for doing this is to become more comfortable for the interview. You won’t be as nervous because you will be ready. When you are comfortable, you show more confidence and recruiters look for that.

1. Why did you leave your last job?
2. What three things would you consider to be your strengths?
3. What three things would you consider to be your weaknesses?
4. What did you like the most about your last job?
5. What did you like the least about your last job?
6. Why do you want to work here?
7. What are your goals for five years from now?
8. What would you change about your last job?

Be very careful that your answers do not degrade your previous employer. This will kill an interview in a heartbeat – or at least your chances of getting hired. If you will bash your previous work or boss, then you will do the same at the next company and no one wants that.

For questions 2 & 3, think about what your former boss would say about you if she/he were asked those questions. There is nothing better that will help your chances of getting the job than uniformity of answers from you and your previous boss.

Question number 6 is designed for you to actually have to learn some facts about the company that you are interviewing for. You really need to know what the company does, how long they’ve been in business, etc.

Keep in mind also, that most of these questions are really designed to learn more about you as a person. The answers to these questions and how you answer them tells a great deal about your character and, to some extent, what your performance will be at a new company.

As I’ve said before, an ounce of theory and a pound of practice will get you ready for an interview. By knowing the answers to these questions and then practicing your answers until they become second nature will make you very comfortable in the interview.

Good Luck!

With millions seeking work, it might just be a way to set yourself apart from the masses. True, it is a unique approach; but if done correctly could help to score an interview. After all, that is what a resume is for: to help get an interview.

A video resume does not take the place of a regular resume, it is a supplement. You still need to make sure your paper resume is sharp and accurate. It needs to accompany the video resume. Let’s face it: some people are not good at writing but are comfortable in front of a camera. So it might be easier for you to sell yourself on video than on paper. Here are some guidelines to making your video resume.

• Make your video short. It should be no more than two minutes.
• Know what you want to say and stay focused. You could give answers to the most common questions usually asked in an interview (see 8 Interview Questions). You could also talk about how you are qualified and meet the requirements of the job you are seeking.
• Be very professional. Do not use slang words or too many hand gestures.
• Dress the part. You need to look as if you were walking into the company’s headquarters for a job interview. You know the saying about first impressions.
• Be yourself. Practice until you are comfortable. It is important for a potential boss to see you as you are and what you’d be like to work with.
• Do not use humor. No one expects you to be a prune but getting and keeping a job is serious. You will be expected to be productive for the salary they’ll pay you.
• At the end, ask for an interview in a professional manner.
• Watch, edit and remake the video as many times as needed. Remember, you are trying to sell a product: you.

Video resumes may not be mainstream, but they will be more common in the future, especially with the move toward a paperless society. Get a headstart and make yours today. I have an excellent site that makes video resumes and then creates a link that you give to employers or anyone else and they just click the link to see the video.

* Must be proficient with HTML and have basic web design skills.

* Must have Excellent Microsoft Office 2003 or 2007 Skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook)

* Must be Computer and Internet Savvy with Social Media Networking Knowledge

* Available to work during regular business hours. If you are only available nights/weekends, do not apply.

* At least 2 years Experience Providing Executive Level Administrative Support

* Reliable

* Pleasant Speaking Voice

* Professional Attitude, Excellent Written and Verbal Communication Skills

* Organized, Proactive, Self Directed

* Able to Multitask

Candidates must have a home office which includes: Computer w/ high speed internet connection, printer and scanner, telephone. Computer must be equipped with Microsoft Office 2003 or 2007 (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)

Hours are flexible but will fall within normal business hours. This position will start with 10 to 20 hours per month and will gradually increase to at least 40 hours per month with the possibility of working 80+ hours per month if desired.

This is not a temporary position. We are looking for someone to join our team on an Independent Contractor basis. Please apply only if you can dedicate at least 1 to 2 years to our company.

We expect a large volume of responses, so please apply ONLY if you meet ALL of the criteria listed above. If you meet all of the criteria, please complete both of the following:

1. Send your resume and cover letter to Resumes@todaysadmin.com. In the cover letter, please include your hourly pay range requirement and specific HTML and web design experience. Please put “Assistant Position (Your Name)” in the subject line.

2. Fill out our online application at: http://www.todaysadmin.com/application.html

Due to the expected response we will not be able to reply to each applicant individually. If you do not receive a response from us within a couple of days, please assume that we decided that another candidate is a better fit for the position.

Thank You!

The unemployment rate color chart is provided by Google public data explorer. It is also posted under ‘Unemployment Rate’.

POSITION DESCRIPTION
As our company breaks into new markets and expands into new territories, so does its demand for new talent. Rewarding result-oriented professionals is a custom that Prolific has developed for those individuals with the vision to see the path ahead of them and the motivation to pursue it. The Position entails identifying and acquiring new clients. Business Consultants contact potential customers, analyze their current needs, and develop strategies for cutting costs by selling Prolific service products.

EXTENSIVE, ON-GOING TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
Our success has relied upon our commitment to best equip and support the individuals that work with Prolific. Our ongoing training and development has led to the success of those who have partnered with us. We are committed to helping our sales professionals achieve their highest earning potential. Intense initial training followed by ongoing development training help ensure that our salespeople are some of the most knowledgeable in the industry.

WHAT ELSE CAN PROLIFIC OFFER?
• Annual Earning Potential: $50,000 to $120,000+
• Health and Dental Insurance, Car/Phone Incentive, Paid Vacation
• Quality Preset Appointments for Performers
• Opportunity to Represent the Market

CANDIDATES MUST POSSESS 1-2 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS
• Strong Sales and Closing Skills
• Presentation and Communication
• Professionalism and Poise
• Goal Oriented
We are expanding our business services throughout the states.

If you would like to be considered for one of the positions available, please email us a copy of your resume to sales@prolificpaymentsolutions.com
Feel free to visit us at www.prolificpaymentsolutions.com.

North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that Fiserv Inc., (NASDAQ: FISV), a leading global provider of financial services technology solutions and Fortune 500 company, will expand its presence in the state by opening a new location in Catawba County.  The company will create 419 jobs in Hickory, NC  and invest $4.9 million during the next three years.  The announcement was made possible in part by an $800,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.

“North Carolina is home to a growing data processing services industry,” Gov. Perdue said.  “Our state’s skilled workers and business-friendly policies continue to attract expanding companies that are achieving success nationally and around the globe.”

Fiserv, headquartered in Wisconsin, is a leading global provider of information management and electronic commerce systems for the financial services industry.  The company, with more than 16,000 clients, serves banks, credit unions and lending institutions with online banking, bill pay and presentment, account processing, mobile banking, lending processing, risk and compliance, and source capture technologies.  Employees at the new facility will provide customer support and other client services.

Fiserv has more than 20,000 employees in 230 locations worldwide, including the former Carreker Corp., employing more than 100 people in Charlotte.  While salaries will vary by job function, the new jobs will pay an average annual wage of $25,368, not including benefits.

“We want to thank state and local officials in North Carolina for their encouragement and support as we locate in this area,” Fiserv Division President Jardon Bouska said.  “Hickory offers the resources we need, including the skilled labor to staff our current operation and the ability to expand to meet our company’s future needs.”

The One NC Fund provides financial assistance, through local governments, to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state. Companies receive no money up front and must meet job creation and investment performance standards to qualify for grant funds.  These grants also require and are contingent upon local matches.

North Carolina continues to have a top-ranked business climate.  Through Gov. Perdue’s JobsNOW initiative, the state will work aggressively to create jobs, train and retrain our workforce, and lay the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic future.

Through use of the One NC Fund, more than 40,000 jobs and $7 billion in investment have been created since 2001.  Other project partners include: the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Community Colleges, Catawba County, Catawba County Economic Development Corp., Catawba Valley Community College, City of Hickory and the Charlotte Regional Partnership.

Residents may apply for the Fiserv jobs immediately online by clicking on this link: Fiserv Hickory NC jobs.  The positions will begin in February 2010.  For more information on Fiserv, log onto: www.fiserv.com.

“North Carolina continues to attract manufacturing firms looking for the perfect location to invest and create new jobs,” Gov. Perdue said.  “Our state’s trained workforce, strategic location and superb quality of life are key site selection factors for new and expanding companies.”

Palziv North America is wholly owned by Palziv LTD, headquartered in Israel.  The company has manufacturing and distribution locations in Israel, Romania, Ohio and Canada.  Palziv foam is used for packaging, insulation, toys, prosthetics and other customer applications.

Palziv will utilize a currently empty Louisburg building to create a new North American headquarters and U.S.-based foam manufacturing facility to better serve the company’s North American, South American and Canadian markets.  Palziv will produce cross-linked foam blocks and rolls from polyethylene pellets for a variety of applications.

The project’s 72 new jobs will pay an average annual wage of $34,167, not including benefits, which is higher than the Franklin County average annual wage of $33,176.

Read the entire news release.

For more information on Palziv, go to: www.palziv.com and www.pxlcrosslinked.com.  Those interested in company job opportunities should send their resumes to the Employment Security Commission office in Louisburg; by mail, Employment Security Commission, 90 Tanglewood Drive, Louisburg, NC 27549-2698; by fax, (919) 496-7611; or by e-mail,
ESC.jobs.louisburg@ncmail.net.

“Establishing a second 787 assembly line in Charleston will expand our production capability to meet the market demand for the airplane,” said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “This decision allows us to continue building on the synergies we have established in South Carolina with Boeing Charleston and Global Aeronautica,” he said, adding that this move will strengthen the company’s competitiveness and sustainability and help it grow for the long term.

Boeing Charleston performs fabrication, assembly and systems installation for the 787 aft fuselage sections. Across the street, Global Aeronautica, which is 50 percent owned by Boeing, is responsible for joining and integrating 787 fuselage sections from other structural partners.

Until the second 787 assembly line is brought on line in North Charleston, Boeing will establish transitional surge capability at its Everett, Wash., location to ensure the successful introduction of the 787-9, the first derivative model of the 787. When the second line in Charleston is up and operating, the surge capability in Everett will be phased out.

“We’re taking prudent steps to protect the interests of our customers as we introduce the 787-9 and ramp up overall production to 10 twin-aisle 787 jets per month,” said Albaugh.

“While we welcome the development of this expanded capability at Boeing Charleston, the Puget Sound region is the headquarters of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Everett will continue to design and produce airplanes, including the 787, and there is tremendous opportunity for our current and future products here,” Albaugh emphasized. “We remain committed to Puget Sound.”

Approximately 55 airlines have ordered around 840 787 airplanes since the program was launched in 2003. The 787 family of airplanes will carry 200 to 250 passengers on flights up to 8,200 nautical miles (15,200 km). The 787 will be more efficient, quieter and have lower emissions than other airplanes while offering passengers greater comfort and the convenience of direct, nonstop flights between more cities around the world.

“The 787 will provide airlines with unprecedented operating economics and efficiencies. It also will take passengers where they want to go, when they want to go, and do it more comfortably and affordably than ever before,” Albaugh said. “This airplane will allow us to continue to set the standard for commercial aviation in the second century of flight.”

# # #

Contact:

Boeing Commercial Airplanes Communications
+1 425-266-5822

More information: http://www.boeing.com/commercial/787family/index.html

SOURCE: Boeing

Web site: http://www.boeing.com/

See also:  Boeing To Make 787 In Charleston

Cree expects to add 275 North Carolina jobs during 2009 to serve the expansion of LED manufacturing capacity and other staffing needs at its Durham, N.C., facility. Cree anticipates creating 300 additional jobs by the end of 2012.

“Green jobs are a cornerstone of my vision for building a 21st century global economy in North Carolina,” Gov. Bev Perdue said. “This job announcement fits perfectly with my plan to grow a world-leading green economy in North Carolina that turns green into gold for decades to come.”

Cree has also begun manufacturing and assembling LED lighting products with Flextronics in Mecklenburg County, N.C. Initial products made in this facility are the ENERGY STAR®-qualified LR6 recessed LED downlight and award-winning LR24 LED troffer replacement.

“We are seeing tremendous growth for LED lighting,” said Cree CEO Chuck Swoboda. “Energy-efficient lighting has its roots right here in North Carolina, and Cree is proud to be bringing more green jobs to our state.”

Cree’s industry-leading line of LED lights, including recessed downlights and troffer replacements, began North Carolina production in August 2009.

About Cree
Cree is leading the LED lighting revolution and setting the stage to obsolete the incandescent light bulb through the use of energy-efficient, environmentally friendly LED lighting. Cree is a market-leading innovator of lighting-class LEDs, LED lighting, and semiconductor solutions for backlighting, wireless and power applications.

Cree’s product families include LED fixtures and bulbs, blue and green LED chips, high-brightness LEDs, lighting-class power LEDs, power-switching devices and radio-frequency/wireless devices. Cree solutions are driving improvements in applications such as general illumination, electronic signs and signals, variable-speed motors and wireless communications.

For additional product and company information, please refer to www.CreeLEDLighting.com

This press release contains forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated. Actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors, including customer acceptance of LED products; the rapid development of new technology and competing products that may impair demand or render Cree’s products obsolete; and other factors discussed in Cree’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 28, 2009, and subsequent filings.

Cree is a trademark of Cree, Inc.
ENERGY STAR is a trademark of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Media Contact:
Michelle Murray
Cree, Inc.
Corporate Communications
(919) 313-5505
michelle_murray@cree.com