The Best Career Goals for Each Month This Year - The Muse

The Best Career Goals for Each Month This Year - The MuseThe Best Career Goals for Each Month This Year Its great to set goals for the year, but most of us forget to factor in the time period during which were making them. When you consider what season it is or what the weather is like, your ambitions suddenly require more (or sometimes less) effort.Thats why were going to help make your career goals for you this year- because we want you to succeed, and because we know the best times of year to focus on certain activities. (Read No one likes to job search in the summer.) So each month, were going to ask you to focus on one aspect of your career- thats it And, as a bonus, were providing resources to help you along the way. Starting with January, well tell you when to update your resume, increase your productivity, and focus on finding a better work-life balance- and by December, checking accomplishments off your list will feel like second nature.Lets get started taking on this yearJa nuary Update Your ResumeChances are, enough has happened this past year that you can add and remove things (maybe even whole jobs) from your resume. While you definitely have to tailor it for individual positions, there likely are updates you can make to your master version. In addition to updating your positions and accomplishments, focus on these three tasks this month1. Use Better VerbsStrong action verbs are your new best friends when it comes to crafting a powerful resume.185 Powerful Verbs That Will Make Your Resume Awesome2. Quantify Your Bullet PointsNumbers and stats can transform good bullet points into great ones, so get specific with important details.How to Quantify Your Resume Bullets (When You Dont Work With Numbers)3. Re-design ItMaybe the new year means its time for a new resume layout. Spruce yours up with any of these free templates (or hire a pro to do it for you).275 Free Resume Templates You Can Use Right NowFebruary Improve Your LinkedIn ProfileWhether youre s earching for a new job, thinking about switching careers, or just wanting to give your LinkedIn profile a bit of love, February is the time to do it. With hiring season at its peak around this time, youll want to make sure your online presence is ready for whomevers looking at it.1. Decorate ItAdd a bit of flair to your LinkedIn with a free hintergrund design thatll make you stand out.23 Free LinkedIn Backgrounds That Will Make Recruiters Love Your Profile2. Highlight ItImprove your headline for maximum viewership by being specific, highlighting your current position, and showing off your accolades.How to Make Your LinkedIn Headline Way mora Effective in Under 5 Minutes3. Participate on ItThe quickest way to get your name out there? Join in on a discussion groupHow I Got 425% More Page Views on LinkedIn- and You Can, TooMarch Do a Little NetworkingThe word everyone hates Networking. But theres no time like now to start reaching out. Even thought its still chilly out (OK, possibly fr eezing), people are beginning to go stir-crazy and are more willing to meet for coffee or a drink. So yes, we know this isnt your favorite, but were here to tell you that its easier than you think1. Network Where You WorkYes, thats right, you can network in your own office- and itll even make you a more recognized employee.The Super Obvious Networking Opportunity You May Be Overlooking2. Ask a Stranger for HelpAsking a stranger for help may seem awkward, but its not when you personalize it. Hint Kindness goes a long way and is more likely to render a response.The Simple Change Thatll Make Asking a Stranger for Help Much More Successful3. Write Great Subject LinesYoud be surprised how three or four words can make all the difference as to whether or not people open your emails. Here are some templates to get you started on crafting the perfect one, so you can get even more networking meetings.Here Are the Subject Lines Thatll Get Your Networking Emails Opened- Every TimeApril Become a Better Co-workerAs the snow and ice melts, theres no better time to thaw your co-worker relationships, improve your sociability, and ultimately impress your boss. Your office interactions, whether in a new or old job, can make all the difference in how you feel coming into work every day. 1. spielblttchen Up Key SkillsHere are six things you should start working on today to be more successful working with others- and yourself on bad days.6 Life Skills You Better Pick Up if You Want to Succeed at Work2. Ask QuestionsYoure no mind reader, so dont be afraid to ask your colleagues questions You may make someones day (and save yourself a lot less work).4 Basic Questions Likable People Always Ask at Work3. Be Aware of How You Phrase ThingsCatching yourself when you might be coming across as judge-y, passive-aggressive, or rude is the first step to becoming a more pleasant person to work with. 3 Times You Think Youre Being Nice- But You Actually Just Sound Passive-AggressiveMay Increase Y our ProductivityNow that you can roll up your sleeves without shivering, its time to buckle down. Summers approaching, and you want to revamp your routine for a productive next couple of months- especially when all you really want to do is lay outside in the sun.1. Learn How to Use Your Time WiselySlow days at work arent for surfen the internet or playing paper basketball with your co-workers. Make every minute count- you may even get ahead so you can enjoy your weekends laterThis Is How You Take Advantage of a Slow Day at Work2. Change Up Your Routine to Find the Most Productive One PossibleTurns out that your regular schedule and habits might actually be slowing you down. 5 Boss-Approved Changes to Make to Your Work Routine Thatll Boost Your Productivity3. Download a New Productivity AppWho says you cant have some help from technology? A new app can help you live productively, from eating healthier to being more punctual.26 Apps Designed to Make Your Life Easier (You Can Thank Us Later)June Focus on Work-Life BalanceYou worked hard last month, so June is your time to relax and focus on healthy living and learning. Just because you have to work in the summer doesnt mean it has to be all that bad- or that you cant give yourself some me time.1. Stop Working So HardFirst, recognize when youre working too hard and need to stop. Its possible to thrive at work without staying in the office until 8 PM every night.3 Reasons You Work Too Much- and How to Overcome Each One2. Take Time Off to Relax and RegroupIt is in fact possible to take time off without taking time off. And your boss will love these alternatives3 Boss-Approved Trips Thatll Help You Break Out of Your Work Rut (and Dont Involve Taking Vacation Days)3. Make Sure You Leave Work at WorkDont give away your weekends- you deserve them. Plan ahead, take breaks, and be willing to unplug at times.3 Ways to Ensure Youll Always Have the Weekend OffJuly Boost Your ConfidenceJulys a delightful time of year for most people, so take advantage of the positive energy by working on yourself.1. Read, Read, ReadOne way to learn how to be more confident? Read leadership books from people who know what theyre talking about.The 10 Books Thatll Bring Out the Leader in Everyone Who Reads Them2. Stop Seeking Outside ApprovalStop letting others get to you. Its your life and your job, and no one knows it better than you do.5 Reasons You Should Stop Seeking Other Peoples Approval for Your Career Choices3. Practice Positive Self-EncouragementMost importantly, be nicer to yourself Speak up, take on challenges, and have confidence in your own ideas.4 Ways Youre Being Way Too Hard on Yourself (and How to Stop)August Get Prepared to End the Year on a High NoteAs umstand approaches, its time to set goals for the rest of the year. What havent you accomplished yet? What are you still struggling to work on? The leaves havent even started to change color yet, so nows your chance to tackle those things that are still p estering you.1. Find an Approach to Accomplishing Things Thatll WorkRather than push yourself to do something huge, challenge yourself to knock a few smaller items off your list.The Easiest Way to Achieve Your Daily Goals2. Add Emotion to Your To-DosThe best kept secret about to-do lists? Make them emotional. No really, I swear by it. A Mind-Blowing New Way to Think About Your To-Do List3. Get OrganizedOnce you get the list-making down, try organizing your to-dos by category (and by importance)- this way, youll get things done faster and more efficiently.3 Better Ways to Organize Your To-Do ListSeptember Break Bad HabitsIts never too late to break those bad habits, and when better to do it than September? The weathers cooling down, and work is starting to re-energize, so nows the time to develop new routines thatll make you that much more productive when the holidays roll around.1. Recognize Your Less-Than-Ideal Office BehaviorIf youre not sure what your bad habits are, try checking these five off your list saying sorry when youre not, hogging the conversation, setting up unnecessary meetings, acting like a work robot, or venting unproductively.5 Bad Habits That Are Holding You Back in the Office- and How to Put an End to Them2. Drop the Negative LanguageLearn how to talk with confidence- youd be surprised how much more respect you get from your co-workers.Drop These 5 Words if You Want to Be Taken More Seriously at Work3. Replace the Bad With the GoodAnd finally, replace those bad habits you dropped with some new ones thatll make you an even better professional.4 Habits You Should Pick Up if You Want to Be Well-Liked at WorkOctober Learn Something NewBored at work? Feeling a bit stuck? Try taking up a new skill or project thatll boost your current career or even qualify you for another path in the future.1. Take an Online CourseYou dont need to go back to school to learn something new- its all in the palm of your hand (or on your laptop).45 Free Online Classe s You Can Take (and Finish) by the End of This Year2. Learn the Latest TechYou dont have to learn every new tech skill that comes into existence, but you should keep yours up-to-date. So why not pick up a new one (or two) this month?7 Tech Tools You Can Definitely Teach Yourself to Use Before the End of the Year3. Watch rocknroller TalksListening to TED talks is one of the best ways to learn something new and valuable without wasting too much time, and thanks to the internet, there are more than you can possibly imagine.5 TED Talks Thatll Inspire You to Innovate Like Never BeforeNovember Update Your Social MediaEverythings starting to come together, and now were going to focus on an important part of your personal brand your online presence. Here are some tips for how to keep your social media sharp in November (and hopefully for months after this one).1. Write a Better LinkedIn SummaryYour profiles the first stop for people who dont know you. So why not make it clear exactly who yo u are? 5 Templates Thatll Make Writing the Perfect LinkedIn Summary a Breeze2. Network on TwitterNext is Twitter- did you ever think about networking there? Well, turns out, its actually a lot easier than it looks.3 Easy Ways to Up Your Twitter Networking Game and Start Racking Up the Connections3. Consider Making a Personal WebsiteOne of the best things you can do for your online presence is to create your own site a hub for all of your work and social profiles. And before you panic, weve got a game plan that will help you get a single-page site up in an hour. The Fun, One-Hour Activity That Will Help You Land Your Dream JobDecember Get the Most Out of the HolidaysYouve worked hard, and the years almost over, so congrats December is your time to relax and enjoy the holidays. But while youre at it, here are three ways to get the most out of this month (that have nothing to do with buying presents or eating a lot of home-cooked food).1. Take Baby Steps Toward a Better CareerThese car eer-boosting ideas are easy-peasy, and we promise they wont take away from the holiday fun.20 Career-Boosting Steps You Can Take Before New Years Eve2. Write Thank-You Notes to Your ColleaguesThe holidays are all about giving, so try giving thanks to all the people who have made your year great, whether its your boss, your co-workers, or an old connection.The 9 Holiday Cards You Need to Send to Your Network- and What to Write in Each One3. Download More Awesome Productivity AppsAnd when work is bumming your holiday spirit, here are nine apps thatll keep you productive, yet sane.9 Apps Thatll Make Working During the Holidays as Pain-Free as PossibleThink you can handle it? Tweet me your best month

10 Most Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

10 fruchtwein Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them10 Most Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer ThemAll those whats, whys and hows Agrh. Too many questions and too few answersDo you feel like theres a police investigation going on every time youre having a job interview?Fear not. Youve come to the right place. Those interview questions are not random. Recruiters have their own worn-out paths and its just a matter of minutes to track them down.Theres nothing worse than being unable to beat that awkward silence. Especially if you tend to feel uneasy and lack confidence, its good to have something to chose back on.Invest some time in making sure no question takes you by surprise. Our list of 10 most common interview questions and tips how to deal with them can help you prepare to provide nifty, convincing answers. They will act as your safety net whenever you need it.The questions range from why youre the perfect fit for the position or how come there are gap s in your job history. Most of them will also serve as good starting points for you to think about your reasons and motivation before you actually talk to someone.As Louis Pasteur once said, fortune favors the prepared mind. This approach can help you accomplish every single thing you set your mind to. So why not start today?10 Most Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer ThemShare Your Feedback or Ideas in the Comments

Documents and Deadlines for Internship Applications

Documents and Deadlines for Internship ApplicationsDocuments and Deadlines for Internship ApplicationsGetting an internship during the summer or during fall and/or spring semester requires diligence and planning. Application deadlines may be early for some internships and the process might require some time to get everything out before the deadline. Organizations may require a formal application, resume, cover letter, transcript, 2 or 3 letters of recommendation, as well as an essay on why youre interested in interning for the company or some other related question. Not all internships have the same requirements. Here are some things to check for when getting ready to apply for internships. Application Deadline Internship deadlines begin as early as November for some summer internships. Large internship programs in some of the bigger cities, as well as internships in industries such as finance, journalism, and government, tend to have earlier deadlines to ensure a strong pool of applicants. For the most part, most internship deadlines occur somewhere between January and April. The important thing is to abflug early to ensure that you do not miss the deadline. Required Qualifications Employers may require students to be at a certain level in their college education or may stipulate specific skills, majors, or courses completed to apply for the internship. Be sure you understand the qualifications for the internship and if you are unsure try phoning or emailing the organization for clarification. If you feel you possess most of the qualifications the employer is looking for, go ahead and apply for the internship and you can discuss your skills further if contacted for an interview. Preferred Qualifications Employers may prefer that students applying for the internship are a junior or senior and that they have specific skills or courses completed. Although they indicate a preference, they do not indicate these as a requirement to apply. If you are int erested in the internship and feel you possess the necessary skills, go ahead and apply. You can always discuss your skills further with the employer if contacted for an interview. Documents Required to Apply Check the internship listing very carefully to see what documents are needed to apply. If transcripts and reference letters are required, be sure to allow ample time to get these documents together. Be ready to send an error-free, grammatically correct resume and cover letter to the employer. Provide all references with a copy of your resume as well as any additional information on any special skills and accomplishments they might not know about. How Does the Employer Want the Documents Sent The employer may request that you attach your resume/cover letter to an email, send it in the mail, or include it in the body of your email? Prior to sending out your materials, be sure to follow the employers directions exactly as stated in the listing. Follow Up to Make Sure th e Employer Has Received Your Documents After sending out your application materials it is important to check to make sure the employer has received everything they need from you. By following up with the employer, you can also get an indication of when the employer plans on making a decision and what the next step in the process will be. This also lets the employer know that you are still very interested in the internship.

How I Became the Youngest CPA at 17

How I Became the Youngest CPA at 17How I Became the Youngest CPA at 17Earlier this year, Belicia Cespedes passed all four sections of the CPA exam. At age 17, she may be the youngest CPA in the world. Now fully licensed, she works as an accountant for her parents landscaping and construction company in Canyon Country, Calif. Shes also the youngest voting member of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA.I had an amazing childhood. As the second eldest of five girls, I always had a wealth of activities, friends and fun, including tennis, music, vacations, church, weekly parties and school. Yes, school welches an activity, like cooking or building a tire swing, but what separated it from other activities welches that it challenged our minds.Individualized education through homeschoolingHomeschooling welches perfect because it allowed me to learn as much as I wanted, at the pace I wanted. It provided the opportunity for individualization.By the time I began high school at 10 years old, th e habits of independent study and self-motivation, which are part of the homeschooling model, were already ingrained in my character. At 13, I was done with high school and began taking classes at our community college to explore various fields of study.Online bookkeeping courseThanks to my fathers ever-entrepreneurial spirit, I decided to take a few business classes, as I already knew I had a propensity in that area. To my great pleasure and surprise, as well as that of my parents, I excelled far more than I had expected. One of these classes was an online bookkeeping certification course. After finishing and becoming a certified bookkeeper in just over a month, then moving deeper by taking a few accounting classes at the college, both my parents and I realized that God had given me a natural bent and ability to learn it well.On to college accountingThats when I decided to pursue a bachelors degree in accounting. At the same time, we decided I should begin gaining work experience h ours, so that if I ever decided to go for the CPA license, it would be an easy transition.Thats right, even at this time, I still questioned whether I should shoot all the way to the end for the CPA license or be satisfied with simply a degree in my profession. Little did I know that a year and a half later, by the time I was 16, that I would begin studying for and taking the CPA exam.Read All You Need to Know About CPA Jobs - and Then Some.CPA exam practice sessionsAt the outset of 2014, Id graduated from Thomas Edison State College and was interning at Anthony Bonenfant Co. Thats when I sat for my first section of the exam, Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR). Rather than becoming weary and disappointed when I failed both the FAR and the Regulation (REG) sections the first time, I was actually rejuvenated and even more motivated.I attribute this to a couple of things. First, I thought of each exam as a practice session. I went into the testing center each time thinking abou t how I could learn and be better prepared for my next attempt. I was thinking experience rather than expectation. That way, when I received a 68 or 69, it was actually encouraging to know I was closer than I would have thought. I knew the specific topics the exam favored, so I knew how I could improve the next time to push myself over that 75 mark - the total reported score to pass each section of the CPA exam.Incentives for the youngest CPA (to be)Another motivating factor that kept me going through the testing process was the knowledge that the more time I studied, the better I would do. After all, this is what I would be doing for the rest of my life, so I might as well know it as well as I could.Also, my mom would treat me to the Cheesecake Factory and a movie after each section, so I didnt mind the prospect of going backI received my scores to the final part of the exam in August 2014. My family threw a huge surprise party, with about 40 of my friends. I am still just as exci ted and thankful to be able to call myself a CPA as I was that day.Read more from Belicia 8 Lessons Learned From My Accounting Internship.Do you want to read more stories about the CPA?SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTEREditors note This post was updated recently to reflect more current information.

Media Myths Affect How the Public Views News Coverage

Media Myths Affect How the Public Views News CoverageMedia Myths Affect How the Public Views News CoveragePeople in news media often come under attack for shoddy reporting, political bias or for promoting stories that fail to live up to the hype. While mistakes sometimes happen, common media myths can usually be struck down once all the facts are considered. Reporters and Their Bosses Are Liberals Reporters are sometimes accused of having a liberal media bias. The fact is, reporters usually reflect the communities in which they work. They are taxpayers, parents, and homeowners like everyone else. Media executives are confronted with the same issues as those in other industries managing tight budgets, stockholders expectations and coping with economic forces beyond their control. News reporters do gravitate toward stories about change because change equals news. So when an elected leader of either political party proposes an overhaul of the system, that makes headlines. Someone e lse who supports the status quo will likely not get coverage. That is not a case of liberal bias. Conservatives who want to scrap the U.S. tax code would draw coverage, just as those who backed universal health care. All News Coverage Has an Unethical Political Bias Some of the cable news networks have become known for covering news with a political slant. Fox News Channel is widely seen as being conservative, while rival MSNBC is positioning itself on the other end of the spectrum. There is nothing unethical about covering news from a political viewpoint, as long as the viewers are aware of that fact. Journalism ethics are breached when an attempt is made to hide this motivation from the audience. While the recent focus has been on television news coverage, newspapers have taken vorwort positions for generations. The political positions on the editorial page dont hinder accurate reporting of the bank robbery on the front page. Viewers should make a distinction between a news br oadcast and news commentary. Commentators such as Bill OReilly or Rachel Maddow are usually free to talk about their opinions, but their shows arent considered straight news programming. Reporters Dont Tell the Whole Story Sometimes the whole story is impossible to get. There are still unanswered questions about the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which brought many changes to news coverage, but that shouldnt prevent a reporter from having a story printed or broadcast about what is known at the time. News users expect immediate information. In breaking news situations, some information turns out to be incorrect. That is an unfortunate byproduct of producing live coverage as events are unfolding. Viewers see raw information that comes from a variety of sources eyewitnesses can be wrong, investigations can be revised to include newly-found facts and emergency workers can sometimes not provide a clear picture of whats happening in a crisis. Reporters are often accused of only telling one side of a story. That happens when the people involved on the other side refuse to talk. A reporter must pursue getting the other side, but once the attempt is made, she can usually go ahead with the side that she has. Think back to the Watergate scandal. If the Nixon Administration could have killed the story by simply refusing to talk, the nation wouldve never known what welches happening inside the White House. The Washington Post was correct in presenting a well-researched, one-sided story based on information from the source called Deep Throat that was proven to be the truth. Reporters Sensationalize the Facts A newspaper headline which reads Tempers Flare at City Council is going to attract more readers than one that says City Council Holds Its Regular Meeting. Its not sensationalism to accurately report the emotion involved in a story. Where reporters sometimes go overboard is making the emotional hook the centerpiece of the story. Facts are quickly replaced by the most f lowery adjectives that can be found in a Thesaurus. Television is the usual culprit. Why its widely known that television reaches the head through the heart, reporters leap to include the crying family members of a murder victim in their story. While their pain may be uncomfortable to watch, the alternative is a cold, sterile story about crime statistics that dont show the heartbreak that violence has on families. Stories Are Called Exclusive When Theyre Not Heres a typical scenario the president offers a one-on-one interview to ABC, CBS, and NBC. Each network will then tout its exclusive interview, even though the president sat down with all three. It becomes a question of semantics whether these interviews are exclusive. CBS may have asked pointed questions about foreign policy that the other networks forgot to do. They may have gotten answers about education and health care instead. In a perfect world, the networks would sit down and each take a topic with the president, the n present their interviews together so that viewers could watch one network each night to get different information. In a competitive environment like network news, that will likely never happen. Stories Fail to Live up to the Hype Whether youre watching a local TV affiliate or a broadcast network, the reporting and versetzung of news stories usually involve two different departments. A reporter will tell the promotion department the basic facts of the story, while the promotion producers create topical advertisements designed to get people to watch. When the communication between the departments breaks down, the result can easily be a promo that doesnt accurately match the story. Viewers will be lured into watching a newscast to see a blockbuster report, only to be disappointed by the lackluster story they see. Every news outlet has been burned by this problem, but if it happens too often, viewers will become wise to the carnival-barker promotion and ignore it. Producing news q uickly and accurately isnt easy. Mistakes happen on the air, online and in print. But media myths concerning bias and ethical lapses are usually just that myths, that arent supported by the facts.

The Importance of Graphic Design Resume

The Importance of Graphic konzeption Resume The New Fuss About Graphic Design Resume You really, really need to work for Alice. Make certain you keep this in mind when writing your resume. You must not place anything, where you wont have the ability to answer the questions that are going to be raised. There are five things you ought to know while creating your resume. Simple does not need to mean dull. You need to present yourself in the very best way possible. Adhere to a conventional list or bullet point format to underline the skills you do have, and just leave out the ones which you dont. People labels in a multitude of various ways. Want to Know More About Graphic Design Resume? You will need experience to acquire experience. Make a note that the certifications should have the social and skilled value in the correct way. Things You Should Know About Graphic Design Resume Many job seekers wonder whether they require a cover letter in any respect. Infographic-style re sumes have gotten popular, and they may be effective when done well. Obviously, each job will call for various abilities and experiences, so make certain you read the work description carefully and concentrate on the skills listed by the employer. Start with listing a number of the top skills the job posting requires. Theres no need to be worried about looking to locate a job working for somebody else since there are a lot of opportunities for people like you to get started working at home. For you it means you ought to list your experiences starting from the latest ones. A better approach to showcase your skills is to produce an attempt to locate clever strategies to add them in the experience bullet points. Make certain that you have a minumum of one example for a time you demonstrated every one of the top five skills listed here. Art directors dont have enough time or the inclination to read your whole life story. The ideal place to look is the work description. Theres s uch a wide choice of jobs to select from, it is just about impossible leid to find work as soon as you start looking. The coolest high-paying jobs will visit the best of the very best. Graphic Design Resume - the Story Few are listed below that can act as headings in your clerical resume. Your resume or CV may be among the most important projects you ever design. It is possible to also check other graphic designer resumes on sites like LinkedIn to find a notion of qualifications to prioritize. Learning find out the way to compose a great resume will be a really frightening activity. On-line communities like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook can help you interact with different designers while sites like Digg and Design Float can offer you completely free marketing and help to receive your work out there. Template designs are for private use only and might not be resold or redistributed under any conditions. You could also observe the Resume Templates. The Magazine Style Resume template is the ideal choice. This template from Beautiful Resumes features vibrant colours, but you might just as easily get exactly the same effect having a more subtle color scheme. Graphic Design Resume Help The person who owns the corporation may not have the correct idea about the job. If you arent making an attempt to talk the language of each organization you ship your resume to, you arent going to discover success in the job-search path of. Share your work after youre completely content with your design and work, you can share it to the world via your social networking accounts, personal site, or various different channels you might utilize. So whether youre attempting to get freelance projects or locate a steady position with a massive company, its obvious that you must entice the interest of clients and employers. The overall rule for graphic design resumes is to put in a hyperlink to your site or internet portfolio. You may use the exact same graphic on your co ver letter to provide your application a polished, pulled-together appearance. Complete each entry with a brief description of the job you performed. Thus its important to obtain a means to make your resume stand out of tons of different resumes, particularly when youre in design.

Expert Secrets To Assessing Candidates True Interest Level

Expert Secrets To Assessing Candidates True Interest LevelWhen hiring, you not only want to find the most skilled and hardworking candidates around, you also want to find ones who are truly interested in the open position and the company. Having the right skills is important, but if a candidate doesnt align with the companys values and culture, it wont be long before youre looking for a replacement employee.In fact, a 2015 Talent Attraction Study from Indeed found that within 91 days of being hired, 65 percent of employees are already looking for a new job. If you want to avoid high turnover caused by poorly matched candidates, you need to be able to accurately judge their level of interest in your company.Here are six expert tips on assessing candidates and how well they actually match up with your company1. Its not what they say, but how they say it.I can tell if a candidate is really interested in our company if the conversation flows well during the initial phone screen. They wil l be forthcoming with answers and truly sound excited and engaged. Short- or close-ended answers are big clues that the interest level may not be there. In addition, if a candidate mentions information that shows me they have done prior research on who we are (products, divisions, etc.), this is a great sign of interest They dont have to be an expert on who we are, but it definitely helps if theyve done their due diligence beforehand.Their tone is also important. Do they sound apathetic or bored? Its not just the answers they give, but how they sound. A candidate could say all the right things, but their tone and conversation flow is just as important.Claire Tuck, Corporate Recruiter, Oldcastle PrecastHow the convo flows during a jobinterview will show if a candidate is interested. OldcastleIncClick To Tweet2. Think about the questions they ask.Questions asked often reveal more than answers given. Candidates who are genuinely interested in a role and company will be assessing their ability to be successful in the employers environment and looking for evidence of career progression opportunities in the future. This can be examined in part at the very beginning of the process, but its usually only once the process is underway that a candidates true intentions begin to appear. This is true of hiring at all levels and is one of the best ways to gain valuable candidate insight.Alexandra Watson, Partner, Renovata PartnersIf a candidate doesnt ask about the company, they dont care. RecruitingTips RP_ExecSearchClick To Tweet3. Get a feel for their industry knowledge.One of my favorite questions to ask is what industry publications they read. It helps us to gauge how much interest they have in the field and in the position. We also like to ask them what they know about our company. We dont expect them to know the inner workings, but more generally what they like about the site. It helps us to see whether or not a candidate has taken some time to do basic research. If t hey cant be bothered to look at our site, then they arent interested in the job.Michael Heiligenstein, Director of SEO, Fit Small Business Ask jobcandidates what industry publications they read. That will show their interest level. MXHeilClick To Tweet4. Ask for an elevator pitch.Your time is just as valuable as the candidates. If you are not 100 percent certain of their interest in your company, then moving them through the process is a waste of time. The best hiring screen is asking candidates to pitch your companys product or service in 30 seconds. You will immediately weed out who is passionate about your company and who is just there to see what comes of it. Jamie Coakley, Managing Director, Betts RecruitingAsk jobseekers to describe the company in 30 secs to see what they know about it. coakleyjamieClick To Tweet5. See if theyre dedicated to the process.I personally love to do multiple rounds of interviews when hiring. In my experience, this not only gives the interviewer a ch ance to really get to know the candidates on both personal and professional levels, but it also sets the bar high in terms of how badly the candidates want it. If theyre willing to come back to interview two or three times, their motivation is definitely on the right track. I find that candidates usually drop off after the second round (where I usually ask for references and work samples), where only those who are really keen will make the effort to supply additional materials and come back in for additional interview rounds.Jessica Thiele, absatzwirtschaft Manager, Virtual Logistics Inc.If a candidate will show you previous work examples, theyre a keeper. hiring tips VL_OMNIClick To Tweet6. Know the value of the right attitude.I only tend to eliminate candidates if their attitude or values dont fit. Lets face it many people are motivated by a need to earn money, so sometimes you will get someone whose main motivation is buying food and paying for the roof over their heads. You can t teach or train attitude. If someone has the right attitude, they can learn to love a job that seemed less interesting to them at first. Still, there is no silver bullet you will always have bad hires, because people can lie and tell you what you want to hear. Ultimately, the candidate should be able to describe why they want the job and why they are a good fit for the job. Johnathan Laing, Owner, Wanting MoreBad hires happen. Focus on attitude to avoid them when possible. hirebetter wantingmoreltdClick To TweetWhat are some other tips for assessing candidates and their true interest in your company? Share in the comments below