Employment – What to Ask (and NOT to Ask) During a Job Interview and What to Wear?

It is important not to make any amateurish mistakes during job interviews in these recessionary times.

So I´ve interviewed a New York City recruitment CEO to ask what mistakes the job-seekers should watch for. Ken Sundheim is the President of KAS Placement, LLC in New York City (http://www.kasplacement.com) which was founded five years ago with a cutting-edge approach to Sales and IT recruiting.

Here are Sundheim´s answers:

Question: What are the top 3 things you as a professional recruiter look for in a resume?

Answer:

1. Clear, Succinct Writing - Grammar is very important. If I see improper grammar in a resume it means that the candidate has failed to do a very simple yet important task - proofreading.

2. Specificity - Some resumes are too vague and fail to paint a picture of what the person's job was and their respective accomplishments while at the listed position. Phrases such as "provided excellent customer service," say nothing to me. I look for wording such as, "achieved quota 8 out of 9 quarters while gaining important Fortune 500 clientele such as GE, Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers."

3. Reliability - One of the first things I look at is how long the candidate has stayed at each particular job. When candidates tend to bounce around from job to job, my clients are less likely to consider them a viable option.

Question: What are the top 3 questions a job seeker should ask a potential employer in a job interview?

Answer:

1. I want a company that I can stay with and begin a career and was essentially wondering if you had a low percentage of employee turnovers?

2. Would you describe your firm as innovative and open to employee suggestions regarding tactics to increase revenue and market share?

3. Who is your target client base and, in the coming years, do you essentially perceive that there will be expansion in that area?

Question: What are the top 3 questions a job seeker should NOT ask a potential employer in a job interview?

Answer:

1. I'm not a big fan of doing x; is this facet involved in the job?

2. How many people are going for this particular position?

3. How long will it take to gain a promotion?

Question: What are the worst fashion/attire mistakes to avoid while dressing up and getting ready for a job interview?

Answer:

1. Wearing a cheap, non dry-cleaned suit. Everyone should have a suit, shirt and tie which is very well taken care of and only used during the most important meetings. Your everyday dress is typically a little beat up and, as a result makes you appear less successful to the interviewer.

2. Showing up in casual clothing. As a man, you should always wear your best shoes, suit, shirt and tie. This goes the same for women and their attire.

3. Wearing something that does not make you feel confident. If you don't feel that you look your best in a particular wardrobe, leave it at home and dress in something else. If you don't feel good about the way you look, you are likely to be less effective.

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