Top recruiters dish 8 interview mistakes to avoid

Top recruiters dish 8 interview mistakes to avoidTop recruiters dish 8 interview mistakes to avoidGrandma Dawn is turning 89 this year and still comes to the office every day, says Natalie Levine over coffee (mine) and mint lemonade (hers). She cant drink caffeine after 2pm, or shell be up all night, explains her sister Emily.The referenced officeis Century City-basedCareer Group Companies, a staffing firm specializing in full-time and temporary placement of administrative staff for todays leading companies. Founded in 1981 by the sisters then 25-year-old mother, Susan Levine, it remains a family run business.Emily serves as Vice President, Natalie as Senior Account Manager, and dad, Michael Levine is CEO.Grandma Dawn,in her Chanel and Etro, is an office staple.Our mom was a pioneer of the boutique staffing firm, says Natalie, when staffing was all about making the deal, instead of the people side of the business.Its this hands-on people-centric approach that propels Career Groups cl ients businesses forward and makes a difference in applicants lives.The company now employs approximately 150 people with offices in LA, New York, Redwood Shores, San Francisco, and Connecticut.Candidates come to Career Group Companies by appointment only and leading companies rely on the CGC to deliver top bedrngnisch direct hire and freelance/temp candidates for their open jobs. We are essentially job match makers, they explain.We grant candidates access to exclusive companies, and we serve as their counselors along the way. We are there for every step of the process, from assisting with their resumes, interview tips, delivering the offer, and more.Jobs are their job. And we make jobs are our business.So for the graduating class of 2018, who better to ask the dos and donts of the interviewing process?According to Emily and Natalie here are 8 common mistakes you should avoid1. Not writing a thank you noteOr not proofreading a thank you note. This is a chance to show off your writin g skills, so a typo in a follow-up letter is most definitely a red flag. Its important to thank the interviewer for their time. Hiring managers want to move forward with candidates who leave a positive impression and have good manners2. Not asking questions at the end of an interviewEven if an interviewer is extremely thorough during the meeting, its always important to convey interest and come prepared with questions. A lot of applicants dont realize that they should ask questions.3. Not blocking your social mediaMost companies are checking Instagram, Facebook, Google searches, IMDB, and more. You shouldnt have anything (public) on the internet that you wouldnt want HR at a company to see before even meeting you. First impressions cannot be taken back and its important to remember that companies are concerned with their own reputation, and want to bring people into their companies that are aware of their presence.4. Dont lie on your resumeIf you didnt receive a college degree, do n ot put that you graduated Fact check your GPA. Triple check your dates of employment. Candidates will lose offers at the end of an interview process if a hintergrund check exposes falsifications on the resume or application. Honesty is the best policy here, always.5. Dont inflate your previous salaryBe accurate about your previous salary. Dont inflate your previous salary to get a higher offer. Companies will pull w2s to verify earnings more often than not. If you didnt make the dollars, it doesnt make sense to pretend you did.Job Application Tip Dont inflate your previous salary to get a higher offer.Tweet this.6. Never be late. EverBeing on time means being 10 minutes early. You need to allot time for parking problems, traffic, and any to other unforeseen circumstances. There is no excuse to be late to an interview because it shows a lack of foresight and consideration that you will likewise bring to the position.7. Leave the coffee in the carDont bring a beverage to the meeting ( its too casual), dont chew gum, dont have your cell phone out or on, and make sure you arent wearing a lot of cologne or perfume.8. Dont forget to do your researchDo your homework on the company you are interviewing for That goes for the person you are interviewing with as well.This article was originally published on CreateandCultivate.com.

Career Paths for Computer Science Majors

Career Paths for Computer Science MajorsCareer Paths for Computer Science MajorsComputer science is the study of computers and how they are used to solve problems. A computer science major learns about designing computers and systems,??developing software applications and programming languages. With an extremely positive job outlook- the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts faster than average job growth through 2020 for occupations for which this major prepares people- chances of finding a job after graduation is pretty good. Degree Options Studying computer science as an undergraduate student at a four-year college will result in earning a bachelors of arts (BA) or bachelors of science (BS) degree. The coursework required to earn a BS is heavily weighted in math and science. A student enrolled in a BA program has a larger variety of classes in liberal arts and humanities. The question Which is better a BS or a BA in Computer Science? is heavily debated online. Some say that a BS is more marketable because of the concentration on math and science. Others argue that a BA is better because an individual with this degree has a more well-rounded background. There are those who believe that if you are not great at math and science, you should opt for the BA over the BS degree because you run the risk of classes in those subjects bringing down your GPA. Do your research and then decide which program is best for you. Earning a masters of science (MS) will allow an individual to demonstrate a depth of knowledge that goes beyond an undergraduate degree. While these programs often accept applicants who havent earned a BS or BA in computer science, many do have prerequisites in this subject and math. One can also earn a doctorate which will allow him or her to teach in a university or college. Most community and junior colleges that have a computer science major bill them as transfer programs. They prepare students who earn AS or AA degrees to transfer to four-year institutions where they can continue their coursework and ultimately earn a BA or BS. Because the classes are parallel to those taken in the first two years of a bachelor-level program, once the student is enrolled in a four-year program it will only take him or her two more years to graduate. Some schools offer an applied associate of science degree (AAS) program. These programs claim to prepare students for careers in computer science, but according to many sources, there are fewer jobs for those with an associate degree than there are for those who have a bachelors degree. Salaries are also significantly lower. A List of Major Courses You Can Expect to Take Computers An IntroductionComputer ProgrammingDigital SystemsDiscrete StructuresInternet and MultimediaComputer Organization and Assembly LanguageSoftware EngineeringComputing, Ethics, and SocietyAlgorithms and Data StructuresComputer Operating Systems Career Options With Your Degree Associate Degree Comput er rckendeckung Specialist, Computer Technician, Web MasterBachelors Degree Computer Support Specialist, Computer Programmer, Software Developer, Web Developer, Computer Systems AnalystMasters Degree Advanced positions in any of the above occupationsDoctoral Degree Professor Typical Work Settings Individuals who work in the computer science field are employed directly by companies and organizations or by consulting firms. Computer science professionals who work directly for companies or organizations are members- sometimes the only member- of their computer departments. Consultants typically spend time in the offices of different entities tending to their computing needs. Some are self-employed. How High School Students Can Prepare for This Major High schools students who are planning to study computer science in college should fill their schedules with math classes and any computer science electives their schools have to offer. What Else You Need to Know In the technolo gy field, the experience is as important as a degree. Getting as much experience as you can while you are in school will make you more employable when you graduate. Internships are one way to accomplish this.Because technology is constantly changing, those who work in the computer field must continuously keep their skills and knowledge up-to-date.

How Do We Accommodate Autism in the Workplace

How Do We Accommodate Autism in the WorkplaceAutism in the WorkplaceHow Do We Accommodate Autism in the WorkplaceAs the mother of a teenager on the autistic spectrum, I welches excited to watch the HBO movie about Temple Grandin last week. The movie was outstanding, and Clare Danes was phenomenal in the title role. Temple Grandin is probably the most famous autistic person today. She has a PhD and has written several books that have helped us understand so much more about how she and, by extension, other people with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) experience the world.In Temple Grandins case, her autism makes her uniquely suited to her line of work. She has innate understanding of animals, along with uncanny visual thinking skills, and has used them to make cattle ranches more humane. The movie was pretty realistic about how autism can make a person binnenseem very unpleasant in the workplace. Temple shouted at others when they couldnt see the logic of her arguments. With no sense o f diplomacy or persuasion, she (accurately) pointed out that they were too stupid to understand. Obviously, that behavior wont cut it in 99% of workplaces. When Brazen Careerist blogger Penelope Trunk began talking about her own Aspergers Syndrome (a high-functioning form of autism), a lot of her outlandish, unfiltered, seemingly inappropriate posts suddenly made a lot more senseand after all, she did warn us shed be brazen. What many people dont realize, unless theyre close to someone on the spectrum, is that people with ASDs play by different rules. Its not by choice they just arent wired to easily understand all the emotional, social, intangible things that most of us are able to pick up on automatically. And therefore a lot of people with ASDs arent as successful in the working world as Temple Grandin or Penelope Trunk. Imagine yourself attempting to do your job if you couldnt recognize facial expressions, body language, subtle hints, or sarcasm. And maybe you cant process spoke n language quickly, so by the time you decode the last string of sounds into words, youve missed some other important point. Then add to that a heightened sensitivity to hintergrund noise, sudden sounds, strange smells, flickering lights, physical irritants such as clothing labels the list goes on and on. With current statistics telling us as many as one in 100children may have some form of ASD, wed better come up with some innovative ideas for more autism-friendly work options, pronto. ASDs can be valuable assets in the right work setting, both in spite of and because of the persons unique traits. Many of the worlds great thinkerscomposers, engineers, scientists, inventors, mathematicians, and creative artistshave had autistic traits. As Temple Grandins mother put it, people with autism are different, not less. When we find better ways to accommodate differences and tap unique strengths, we bring greater diversity and some amazing, out-of-the-box thinking into the mix.