Diandra Allen, Gleaner Writer
5 - ways to get that dream job
Next time you're asked if you have any questions at the end of an interview, remember the following advice. Never be left tongue-tied again.
How does this company fit into the industry as a whole?
Don't just ask questions about the job. Try quizzing your interviewer about the company's competitors, potential new projects and the future of the business. It will give the interviewer the impression that you're interested in the entire industry and not just the role you're applying for. This will earn you big interview brownie points.
How much will I be paid?
This is probably the only question you really want to ask, but be careful. You don't want your interviewer to think your only objective is to get your hands on a fat pay cheque.
It's very important to approach the question of salary tactfully. If you are going for a very money-driven job, such as sales, asking about incentives, bonuses and salary is very much in your favour. Your interviewer will view you as revenue driven and may feel you are more likely to succeed. If you're going for a job where pay isn't directly linked to performance, you should approach the subject carefully or not at all.
How long have you worked here?
Don't be afraid to ask the interviewer how he or she feels about working for the company. Finding out about the challenges and rewards of the job will reveal a lot about the business, and the interviewer might appreciate the fact you want his or her opi-nion. Don't get too personal though, such as asking if he/she likes the boss. That may be a step too far. Read the signs. If your interview is an informal chat, you can afford to stray into more relaxed territory but, if it's formal, stick to tried-and-tested subjects.
Don't let your eagerness to blurt out any old question ruin the whole interview.
If you can't think of any questions, it's better to just say pleasantries and leave. An out-of-touch enquiry may scupper your chances of getting your dream job. Don't ask how well you did in theinterview or grill the interviewer on whether you'll have to work long hours, which could go down like a lead balloon.
Even though the interview is over, stay professional right until the end.
Be friendly, but don't become overly relaxed. Simply shake hands. If you don't have any question, leave the room with a polite goodbye, thanking your interviewer for his/her time.
4 - survival tips when attending a wedding: Pretty flip-flops - you could end up standing for 10 hours or more.
Snacks and water - Breakfast was at 8, the wedding's at 2 p.m., followed by drinks and photos. It could be 5 p.m. before another morsel passes your mouth.
Spare tights - since ladders always happen three minutes after leaving the house.
Games and snacks for the kids - because they may hate the food that's on the menu.
3 - it's OKs It's OK to leave it for someone else to clean up (well, at least once)
It's OK not to let your baby brother or sister beat you at a ball game. Hey, the kid gotta grow up.
It's OK to ask every one of your friends for advice and do exactly the opposite.
2 - don'ts
Don't feel obliged to wear heels every day like a celeb, unless you want to end up in bunion village.
Don't wait until next May to celebrate Mother's Day. Be spontaneous and treat her to a 'just-because' gift.
1 - thing Jamaican women wish they could have in their purses:
A taser. More and more in Jamaica, women are being sexually assaulted and more rape cases have been filed. Having a taser would take down potential attackers without seriously injuring them.
