Each month the Career Choice Guide Newsletter brings you current and in-depth information and resources to help you build your career.

If you have a friend who would enjoy this newsletter, please feel free to forward it to him or her.

If someone has forwarded this newsletter to you, please subscribe here so you won't miss any of the tips in each issue.

New at Career Choice Guide

Ask a Career Expert

Your Questions Answered

Good Answers to Interview Questions I'm looking for some good answers to interview questions. I have a job interview coming up, and I'd like some help answering a couple of interview questions.

Group Interviews Any time you are interviewed at the same time as one or more other candidates for the job you are experiencing a group interview. These tips will help you make a great impression at a group interview.

Panel Interviews Any time you are interviewed by more than one person, you are experiencing a panel interview. Along with one on one interviews, panel interviews are the most common type of job interview. Learn how to survive your next panel interview.

Blank Employment Application Here you'll find a blank employment application. This sample employment application contains most of the types of questions you will be asked on a job application.

Sample Employment Application A link to a sample employment application as well as tips for filling out a job application form.

Interview Thank You Letter Sample This interview thank you letter sample will give you some inspiration for writing your own interview thank you letter. While it's fine to start out with a sample to give you some ideas for your own thank you note, do remember that in order for interview thank you notes to be effective, they must be sincere.

Highest Paying Careers Top ten lists of the highest paying careers have limited value when you are making career choices. While career salary statistics are important to have, simple lists of best paying careers limit you because, they carry extremely limited information.

Job Interview Techniques There are several types of job interview techniques used by interviewers; each serves a specific purpose. These tips for interviews will help you to make a great impression at several types of interviews.

Interview Thank You Notes Sending interview thank you notes after job interviews is one of the easiest ways to make you stand out from the crowd. These tips will help you get the most benefit from your interview thank you letters.

Interview Thank You Note An interview thank you note is only effective if it arrives in time to have an impact on the employer's hiring decision. For that reason, the employer must receive your interview thank you letter within 24 hours of your job interview. Learn how to submit your interview thank you letters.

Feature Article

7 Things to do When You're Called for a Job Interview

1. Determine approximately how long the interview will be.

Simply say to the receptionist something like, "How long should I set aside for the interview?" That way you can avoid scheduling other obligations too soon after the interview. Also, be sure to set aside more time than you're told. Interviews often run a bit late or go long, so if you're told the interview will be thirty minutes, be sure to clear your schedule for at least an hour.

2. Get the names of your interviewer(s).

Simply ask, "Who will be interviewing me?" Be sure to make a note of the name(s) of the person or people who will be interviewing you and bring that note to your job interview. Asking for this information is helpful for two reasons:

It will help you to avoid the awkwardness of forgetting the interviewer's name. This happens to almost everyone, particularly in stressful situations; someone introduces themselves, and you immediately forget their name. If you've written the interviewer's name down ahead of time, you'll have it right there in writing, so you won't forget.

Also, this strategy is an easy way to find out whether you will be having a panel interview. If the receptionist mentions only one name, you'll most likely be having a one to one interview. If, however, the receptionist lists the names of three people who will be interviewing you, you'll know that your interview will be with a panel, and you can mentally prepare for that type of interview.

3. It's fine to ask for the company name if you don't have that information.

This awkward situation can arise when someone calls to invite you to a job interview without mentioning the name of the company. You may hesitate to ask the name of the company out of fear that a question like that will make a bad impression. However, if you have applied to several jobs and you're not sure which one this is, or as is often the case, the employer did not post the company name in the job advertisement, it's fine to say something like, "I don't believe the company name was noted in the job advertisement..." and then simply ask for the name of the company.

Typically in a situation like this, they are not testing you, they are just thinking of things from their perspective and not yours, so they have simply forgotten that you don't know the name of the company.

4. Be sure to get the correct date, time and location of the interview.

Write down all of this information as it is relayed to you and repeat it back to the receptionist to ensure it's correct.

5. Be friendly, professional and polite.

The person who calls to schedule your interview may not have the authority to hire you, but often everyone you have contact with during the interview process will be asked to provide input on your suitability for the job. Be sure to put your best foot forward at each point of contact with the company.

6. Ask what you should bring to the job interview.

If the receptionist indicates that there is nothing in particular that you should bring, be sure to come prepared with extra copies of job search documents such as your resume, cover letter, diplomas, job performance reviews, reference letters, and your reference sheet. Also bring a professional looking portfolio or folder to carry everything, a couple of pens and a pad of paper for making notes.

7. Try to go last, or near the end of the interviews if you're given a choice of several interview times.

The last person interviewed is often the one who is remembered best. Also, interviewers often get better at interviewing for a particular job as they go through several candidates.

Particularly if you will be dealing with someone who doesn't have a lot of experience interviewing job candidates (which is common), the interviewers will ask better questions as they go through the process. For example, they may not ask the first candidate specifically about certain skills that are important, and therefore they may assume that person doesn't have those skills if they are not discussed in the interview. As the interviewers realize this, they will ask about those things in subsequent interviews.

Remember these tips to make a great first impression when you're invited to your next job interview. This is your first real contact with someone from the company. Make sure it is positive!

Online Career Resource