Refer.io Blog

Score! You got the interview! Now what?   Now it’s time to prepare. Don’t expect to walk into an interview without preparing beforehand. You may think you’ve got the job in the bag, but a little bit of preparation before the interview can make a huge difference during the interview. What do you need to do in order to rock your interview? Here are ten tips that will help launch you to the top of their list. 1. Research the company beforehand Go into the interview knowing enough about the company so the interviewers don’t need to explain everything to you. Do your research beforehand and you can use the information you learned to your advantage in the interview. You can offer up advice or things you would be able to bring to the company that would improve their business (and make them more money). Your suggestion(s) could be the key to landing you the job! 2. Have an answer to fall back on Interviewers have a habit of asking hard or tricky questions. They use the...

Are you a patient person? I can tell you right off the bat, I’m not. I like to have things done as soon as possible, but if life has taught me anything, it’s that things never happen when I want them to. I’ve had to learn the hard way that things take time. The number one thing that takes patience is finding the right job. Finding a new job certainly doesn’t happen overnight. It takes patience. Job-searching is going to take up a lot of your time. No doubt about it. Searching for a job can be an emotionally draining and physically exhausting process. Perhaps you come home at the end of the day feeling nothing but discouragement because employers just can’t seem to see the potential you have for a job. You feel ready to give up because you feel like you’ll never find the right job. Whether you’ve been searching for only one day or a whole year and you’ve come up empty, you have to remember: it takes time. Trying to find the right job is like having a full time job. You’v...

Volunteering is the secret weapon you can use to bulk up your resume and find a new job. The Corporation for National and Community Service found that those who do volunteer work have a 27% higher chance of finding a job than those who do not. Do the numbers still not convince you to get out and volunteer? Here are 5 more reasons why you should donate your energy and time. It will expand your network Just like any other social event, volunteering will open up connections and doors that you can knock on in the future. But instead of just socializing, you are surrounded by people who are dedicating time to a non-profit or the less fortunate. These kinds of people are way more likely to be friendly and open up connections with you, especially if your show interest in the organization. You will feel better about yourself Is it selfish if the only reason you are volunteering is to feel better about yourself? Not really! You are helping others and yourself-- it’s a win for ever...

Most of your time spent after submitting an application is used playing the waiting game. Each employer’s hiring process is different and some take longer than others to review applications, and then there are those who never respond to your application at all. It's difficult as a job seeker to not hear anything back. You're left wondering about the status of your application and whether or not the job has been filled yet. So what do you do? Of course, if you want an answer about your application status, you’ve got to reach out to the company’s Human Resources Director. You may be hesitant to do this. You may feel anxious about coming off as annoying or desperate to the prospective employer. That's to be expected. While some ways are better than others to reach out to an employer, here are the 3 best ways to follow up on your application without stepping on anyone's toes. 1. Be persistent The key to getting the answers you need about your application i...

Did you know that you can still be in control of an interview, even if you are the interviewee? You can (and should be) an active participant in an interview. Think of an interview as a sales negotiation. Not only are you trying to sell your skills to the employer, but the employer is also trying to buy your skills to improve their company. You can subtly manipulate the conversation and increase your chances of getting hired by using some of the following tips. Make a great first impression While in the waiting room, turn off your phone and put it away. First impressions are everything, and the last thing you want is your interviewer to come out to meet you only to see you hunched over playing Candy Crush. Sit up straight, smile at the receptionist, and be ready to meet your interviewer at any moment. Establish trust before the real interview even begins There are a few golden seconds you have before the interview actally starts and settling into your chair. These seconds can al...

Interviews can be intimidating. Especially if you get asked questions that are really difficult to answer. Some questions can be very direct, and most of the time employers are looking for a specific answer. If you don’t answer the question in the way they want you to, chances are the employer will pass you up. Which begs the question - what is the right thing to say? How do you answer the most difficult questions in an interview without sitting there for five minutes trying to come up with a good answer? Here are a few tips for some of the hardest questions an employer will ask in an interview. What are your weaknesses? Employers really like to ask this question. They use it to gauge your personality and get insight into what you think of yourself and how you might fit in with their workplace culture. The best rule of thumb is to know the answer to the question before you arrive at the interview. Consider what your strengths and weaknesses are well before you even leave for th...

Here’s something you definitely already know: to expand your network, you have to get out and talk to people. But how exactly do you go about that, especially if you are an introvert? It’s already stressful to step out of your comfort zone and make new friends, but it can be even more frightening when you are trying to connect with the CEO of a company you want to work at. Here are a few tips you can use to help you prepare for the big conversations, or connect with people you already know on a more meaningful level. Make the first move This is the scariest part. The approach into the conversation will take guts, but it is up to you to make the first move. The person you want to speak with cannot read your mind. They won’t know you want to speak with them unless you say so. If you spend too much time doubting yourself or weighing the pros and cons of your approach, the opportunity will be missed. Once you see an opportunity, jump on it within 5 seconds, you will thank me later. ...