There is a huge amount of advice on job interviews available on the internet and most of them say pretty much the same thing. A very good example is Kiplinger’s article, What Not to Say at a Job Interview – all good, sound advice.

But what I’d like to add is that you can do everything right and still not get the job. So much depends on the character and personal preferences of those interviewing you – and that can come down to as silly a thing as someone not liking the fact that you wear brown shoes (don’t laugh – I had an area manager once who detested them!).

Just as an instance, I once gave the job to an interviewee who gave exactly the wrong answer to the the question, “Why do you want this job?” His answer was so clearly honest and without the usual carefully pre-constructed explanations that I just had to give it to him. He answered, “Because I need the money.”

Many interviewers would have turned him down immediately; honesty is less important to some people than others, I guess. But I see it as one of the most telling factors in any interview; if someone is not prepared to give you a straight and simple answer, the thought must occur that he is hiding something. Incidentally, that guy turned out to be one of the best employees we’d ever taken on.

So I’m saying that you cannot ever be certain that your interview technique will necessarily hand you the job. Be prepared for disappointments and decide that you will push on to the next interview regardless. That is what wins in the end: determination and persistence.

A job at the Post Office sounds like a sweet deal. Good benefits and job security are just some of the attractive perks. But Postal Service jobs are not advertised in the Classified Ads.

A scammer, Jeffrey Wayne Simmons and his companies, Information Resources of Nashville, LLC and Career Services, LLC, misrepresented that they were connected with or endorsed by the Postal Service; that postal jobs were available; that customers would receive study materials that would help them pass the postal entrance exam; and that customers who pass that exam were assured jobs with the Postal Service. In reality, none of these claims are true.

In a settlement with the FTC, the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General and the United States Postal Service, a judgement was entered in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee on November 7, 2006 which stipulates that the companies will forfeit all their material assets (which include property, a motorboat, jet skis and more).

Beware of ads selling worthless prep materials for postal jobs or other government jobs.

A survey conducted by CareerBuilder dot com found that 1 in 4 hiring managers say they have used the internet to screen candidates applying for jobs. 1 in 10 say they have used social networking sites in researching potential hires.

51% of the time, the applicant did not get the job based on an internet investigation and when social networking sites were accessed, it cost the applicant the job 63% of the time.

Divulging personal information on the net can be a risky business for your career. Everything from unprofessional screen names to bad-mouthing former employers were cited as reasons a candidate did not get hired. 31% of the time the company was able to determine that the candidate did not have the qualifications claimed on a resumé.

“While sharing information online can have a potentially negative impact on your job search or career plans, it can also be leveraged as a tool to differentiate yourself to employers,” said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder.com.

“Highlighting professional and personal accomplishments and showcasing your creativity can help a candidate make a positive lasting impression on employers and validate why he/she is the right person for the job,” she added.

Read the do’s and don’ts in the full article at Consumer Affairs

You’ve sent your resumé and applied for a job you really want to land. You want to make a good impression in your interview. What do you wear?

Some industries, such as manufacturing, don’t have strict fashion rules but the safest rule to follow is to be fairly conservative in your attire.

You want to create a good impression but avoid having your wild nail polish or multiple piercings be the focus of the interviewer. A conservative look will keep the attention where you want it: on your skills and qualifications.

Monster dot com has enlisted the help of Anna Soo Wildermuth, an image consultant, to point out 10 dressing faux pas you need to avoid when interviewing for a new job.

Read the article here