How to Make Your Drawings Realistic

Learning how to make your art more realistic may be easier than you think. The first thing you do, is to begin to see objects in this world as simple shapes. About 80 percent of art is thinking and seeing things like an artist. The other 20 percent is technical skill. There are a handful of basic shapes. These are, circle, square, rectangle, and triangle. As you look at the screen of your computer monitor to read this article, you can boil down the computer monitor as a square.

Now, taking this further into a 3 D world, the circle becomes are ball or sphere, the square becomes a cube, the rectangle becomes a rectangular cube or cylinder and the triangle becomes a pyramid. So as you begin to draw animals, flowers, bodies, and faces of people, you basically first draw out the basic shapes. These shapes are a lot easier to draw and put down on paper than trying to draw all of the complex details all at once.

For example, if you’re drawing a portrait of a person, you draw out the basic shapes. Then, after you’ve got the shapes, you work on the shading. Shading is the magic behind your realistic drawings. Shading is what makes your drawing come to life from 2 D to 3 D. There are different types of shading techniques. One of them is crosshatching.

One of the most important things in drawing and illustration is crosshatching. Crosshatching is shading with two or more sets of intersecting parallel lines. These are graded markings that indicate shaded and light areas in your drawings or paintings.

When you learn the basics of drawing, it will show in your quality of drawings and art. This takes a great amount of practice, especially if you’ve never done this before. To practice, create a column of about 5 blocks. With a 2B pencil, make the last block on the right as dark as possible. On the other end, you want to keep that block white. In between, you create a graduation from dark to light.

As you do this notice how you lighten up on the pressure of the pencil as you increase the lightness of the value. Start by doing a linear cross hatch. Make your lines as close together as possible. Go slow. Don’t try to rush. Take your time and do it right. Lines can be crosshatched in four different directions; horizontal, vertical and 2 diagonals. For light tones, use only two different directions. For darker tones, you want to use all four directions.

After you’ve done that, repeat. Try it with spacing the lines wider apart. Also, try it by spacing the lines closer together. You can also change the pencils to a 2 H or a 6 B to see how different your results will be. Keep your pencils sharpened. If your pencils are dull, you’ll also get different results. Be sure to do this slow and take your time. You want your hand to be able to be accurate and precise. This takes time and practice.

Creating realistic drawings and illustrations can be fun and profitable. Shading and crosshatching are just two key elements of creating realistic drawings. Remember, the key to getting good is practice, practice and more practice. Also don't forget to have fun with this.

About the Author

For more information on how to draw and access free art lessons visit John Sandy at http://www.JohnSandy.net

3 Ways to Find the Perfect College

Now you have determined to advance your education? No matter whether you graduate from high school or else have decided again to go to school in order to earn college degree, then there are lots of options out there. But, what is accurate for one individual is not necessarily right option for everybody. Thus how to find right college? Here are some simple steps that you may take to realize what is best option for you & your career:

Find degree program, which interests you

Though there are simple steps, all need some amount of investigation. You have to research what kind of program that you are been interested in studying. Begin with profession, which interests you and expand on profession that you are in. By using different tools, like Occupational Handbook, you may find average education rank, salary & work situation for different vocations. Pick out some of professions, which you think you are interested in, & move on to next step.

Find & study colleges with the programs

When you decide what type of degree you would like to pursue, then you have to find right college. One simple way to look for right college is to make use of college search engines. The college search engines are used to search accessible programs at all colleges over that country. Loads of college search engines have online programs of degree that are at times hard to find. A few college search engines let you look for by the zip code and state thus you may find schools located in your area.

Narrow your choices down to some colleges that interest you. Check out the programs & degree program. Look at all required classes that you should take & compare to classes you want to take. Check out different student services that college needs to present. Do they give any student discounts and online classes? What about electronic library? You will find many online sources obtainable in this age of technology. And are they near by in nearness to your house? Try and use search engine, which allows you search by the zip code and state. Ask some simple questions to decide which college is correct for you.

Ask for the information

Determining on where you can get college degree is easy as asking question. If your questions are not answered then ask the representative. The college representatives will be very happy to answer al your questions and inform you regarding their college. Lots of different degree courses have some online forms, which are obtainable to fill out & get more information. Also you can call and e-mail representative to find more info & set up the appointment with adviser to observe which college program will fit best to you.

When you go to college, you will get many options. Research every degree program, and look at diverse colleges, read articles regarding education or ask friends who already have attended colleges to learn what kind of degree program & college will best suits your requirements.

About the Author

Compare student credit cards and find more of Tom's work all at FINDcollegecards.com.

Choosing Your Dream Career

The path to finding the career of your dreams can sometimes feel so daunting. To make matters worse, it can seem that while you struggle to figure out just what it is you want to do, others have the good fortune of recognizing and living out their dreams everyday.

But rest assured that these people are by far in the minority. So if you’re a part of the majority and are trying to figure out how to do what you absolutely love – or even figure out what you love – there are ways you can get this done. Let’s look at ways you can move toward settling into your dream career …

Look at What Sparks Your Interests

Okay, this is going to take a lot of nerve on your part, but if you want to find your dream career, you’re going to have to go after what you like. Scary, right? You’ve spent so much of your life doing what others have wanted you to do that it’s hard to believe that you are actually allowed to do what is interesting to you. But you are.

Think about it, there are people making a living playing their favorite instrument, dressing up in makeup and “clowning around” or going the traditional route of joining the ranks of Corporate America – and you can do it too. The main way for you to accomplish this goal is to take note of the projects you absolutely love then explore ways to turn that love into a tangible career.

Take Personality Tests

This may sound like an unorthodox route to take, but if you really want to tap into a career that suites you specifically, there are tests you can take to help you determine, based on your interests, what careers would be best suited for you. Two tests you can take online are the Keirsey Temperament Sorter and Ansir Self-Perception tests.

The Keirsey Temperament Sorter is the most widely-used personality test in the world. By looking at your temperament, communication and action characteristics, it helps you determine your organization, career, and personal development attributes. The Ansir Self-Perception test is another personality test that is widely used. It was created to help you identify your dominant strengths and innate potential so that you can quickly move toward what best suits your personality. Both of these tests work well to give you insight into aspects of your personality that you may not have been aware of. But most importantly, they help you correlate those personality traits with various career options, helping to make finding your dream career a little easier.

Try Temporary Work

A third way that you can make strides toward your dream career is by taking on temporary work. Whether you’re linking up with the traditional temporary agency for clerical work, or one that focuses on specific professions, this is a great way to test the waters of different careers without having to commit permanently to any.

The more you’re willing to get out there and search, the more likely you are to find what it is you really love. So don’t be afraid to go after your dream job. You may find it to be the best decision you’ve ever made.

About the Author

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer who is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Need a resume service? Check out reviews of the top resume services in the industry at http://www.resumelines.com

Becoming A Freelance Computer Programmer

Usually, when a student or prospective computer programmer envisions working in the field, they think of working for a company, the government, or some other formal entity as a direct employee, enjoying the perceived security and benefits of working for an established entity. For some, working outside of the office as a freelance computer programmer is a terrifying prospect. For others, confident in their skills and attracted to the prospect of flexibility and higher compensation, it's the ticket to a whole new ballgame. Freelance programming is an avenue that offers significantly higher pay coupled with very flexible hours. These individuals, working as freelance programmers, accept short-term (or less than permanent positions, in any event) from a variety of companies that employ them to complete specific projects. For them, the higher pay and flexibility is too attractive to resist. And when you factor in the opportunities to both apply your skills in a number of environments and gain very valuable experience, and the chance to earn outstanding compensation; it's easy to see why many make this their preferred career path.

So why do companies hire freelance programmers? One reason companies hire freelance programmers is that even though freelancers usually charge more money on an hourly basis than employees, the company still saves money. Freelancers only receive payment for time spent working on a software development project and their services can be discontinued at any time. Many freelancers provide their own hardware and software. Also, they do not receive employee benefits which are usually quite expensive. Another reason companies use freelance programmers is that freelance programmers are expected to be able to complete projects faster and more efficiently than employees. Above all these, contract programmers get hired to perform programming work that companies do not have the in-house talent to accomplish. Some companies do not have any in-house programmers or they may need special technical skills for an application development project.

Now that you've decided to become a freelance programmer, where do you start? The first area to work on is your programming knowledge and skills. As a freelance programmer, your clients will consider you an advisor and consultant. You need to be able to answer difficult questions that may rise up along the way during the project. Your clients will not provide on the job training. It is imperative that you gain expert level skill in the technologies that you specialize in. Start by browsing the online knowledge bases for computer languages. These usually contain everything you need to know about how the language works. You can also visit online programming forums and communities to learn tips and tricks. A good place to look is www.becomeacomputerprogrammer.com. Invest in developing strong technical skills and it will definitely pay off in your client referrals and testimonials.

Build a customer base – "The hardest thing is to get started." Says Lisa, a web developer in Huntington Beach, CA. "It's really slow to start, and you need to stick with it for a while before you can actually feed yourself." That's the reality of being a freelancer – most often, you're the one responsible for lining up work for yourself. For some, chasing opportunity and building their business is exciting all by itself. For others, it's drudgery. A good strategy to follow is to build that customer base before you leave your regular job, so that once you're on your own you have an existing base of customers and work to support yourself as you expand that base of business.

In conclusion there are distinct advantages and disadvantages to working as a freelance programmer. If you prefer the "security" of having a steady paycheck or dislike the idea of running your own business, then freelancing may not be for you. Working as a freelancer involves doing your own accounting, purchasing health insurance and managing your productivity carefully. If you don't want to be responsible for these, then consider full time employment. On the other hand, if you are excited at the thought of being able to control where and when you work, charge more for your services while creating a successful business, you should definitely give freelance programming a try.

About the Author

Ken Dancek considers the role of the Computer Programmer the hottest in the Information Technology industry. If you would like to earn more money and have more fun working as a Computer Programmer visit: http://www.becomeacomputerprogrammer.net/?s=kendancek

Measuring Your Level of Competency at Your Job

Motivation is the individual’s willingness to exert effort to achieve specific goals. Psychologist Abraham Maslow theorized that a heirarchy of needs motivate people

1. psychological
2. safety
3. belonging
4. esteem
5. self-actualization.

According to his theory, individuals are motivated by the needs located a step above the minimum needs that are fulfilled. Once a set of needs have been fulfilled, they are not likely to get fulfillment from needs at lower levels. People are also not likely to get motivated by an environment that will fulfill needs at a high level when their low level needs have not yet been fulfilled.

According to Frederick Herzberg, an employee’s motivation is affected by factors like recognition, achievement, recognition, challenges, quality of work content, growth, and advancement. Factors like the administration, salary, and company policies produce dissatisfaction. Herzberg figured out that there are other factors needed to keep employees from being demotivated and to produce an environment that will motivate them. These factors affect the policies and administration, the supervision received during the job, interpersonal relations, working conditions, salary, and security. Although these do not necessarily make employees more motivated, it decreases dissatisfaction and brings peace and order to the workplace.

Job satisfaction is a multifaceted and complex notion that means different things to different individuals. Although job satisfaction is linked to motivation, the relationship between the two is not very clear because satisfaction is very different from motivation. Job satisfaction has more to do with a person’s attitude and is typically associated with a feeling of achievement. The relationship between job satisfaction and individual performance is still an issue of controversy and differing opinions. One view says that satisfaction leads to improved performance, whereas another says performance leads to better job satisfaction.

Individual performance is typically determined by three different factors: motivation, ability, and work environment and information needed to get the job done. Motivation is the desire to do the job, and ability is the person’s capability to do the job. Medical students go through rigorous education and training programs to provide them with the ability to handle various cases. During their residency they receive training from the best doctors in their required field. Ability is not usually a problem. But when motivation becomes the issue, the task is more challenging. It’s not often easy to figure out why a person is not motivated enough and how this behavior can be changed. Thus, motivation plays an important part since it directly affects individual performance.

Respect can be shown by simple but powerful actions. These tips will give you ideas on how you might show respect at work while helping you avoid needless disrespect.

Encourage your coworkers to express their ideas and listen to what they have to say before you say what you think. Do not cut off someone while he or she is still speaking.

Use your coworkers’ ideas to improve work. Let them know if their idea has been used, or encourage that person to implement the idea.

Treat your coworkers equally, no matter what their gender, religion, race, age, or size is. Treating people differently based on these can constitute as harassment.

Make sure your coworkers are involved in all meetings, discussions, and events. Although not everyone can take a lead role in these activities, make sure nobody is excluded either. Provide equal opportunities for all to be a part of committees or teams.

About the Author

Jon Caldwell is a professional content manager. Much of his articles can be found at http://effectivemedicaljobmotivation.com

IT Qualifications – What Can You Achieve?

IT is now an integral part of almost every aspect of modern life. It is an astonishing fact that around 21 million people in the UK use IT at work each day, while the IT industry itself is responsible for the design, development, manufacture, selling, installation and maintenance of computer-based information systems in everything from laptops to power-stations. There are an estimated 1.1 million IT professionals in the UK, distributed between around 120,000 IT companies and other industries, such as finance, the public sector, transport, storage, banking and communications. In addition, the services supplied by these professionals have a significant effect on the country’s economy, being worth an estimated £57,000 million per year.

London and the South East employ around 40% of new graduates, where Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales account for only around 11% of the workforce. The average starting salary for a new graduate is around £30,000 with more experienced graduates and those aligning directly to large organizations being able to command more. The most common jobs in IT for new graduates include software engineering, IT consultancy, computer programming, systems analysis, computer analysis and computer operations management. As well as requiring IT skills, these posts also require problem-solving and strong communication skills, with the ability to work as part of a team.

The IT industry invests more in training than any other industry in the UK. The type of IT training depends on the aims of the business or company that a graduate is working for, but it is usually based in working with new technology. However, many graduates and professionals take it upon themselves to learn new IT skills to further their chances in the industry. There are training courses in most aspects of IT, including desktop support technicians, design and development courses, database server infrastructure design and professional developer qualifications. The industry seems to favour those with extra qualifications and these can lead to higher wages and longer IT careers. Courses are certified by most of the large operators, including Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA, CIW, Computeach, IC3 and Adobe.

There is a current trend in the UK IT industry for out-sourcing and off-shoring work; around 8% of IT operations are out-sourced overseas, pointing to a significant IT skills gap in the UK. Some companies have reported delays in the development of new products and services directly as a result of this. As the link between a lack of qualified professionals and product-delay becomes more evident, there has been a drive for more innovation and investment into IT training. Business projects that do not use IT in some shape or form are now in a significant minority, with companies now willing to spend more on new IT systems and professionals to maintain them. In the advent of this IT-driven age, even the government is looking for fully-qualified recruits to develop complex IT infrastructures for new ventures, such as the introduction of national ID cards and the smooth operations behind the 2012 Olympics.

IT has not only seen the dawn of a new era in business and commerce, but it looks to be a vital component of our everyday lives for the foreseeable future.

About the Author

Karl Parkinson, Chairman. Computeach - With over 40 years of experience in the IT Training Industry, Computeach provides innovative and truly blended learning solutions to a wide range of customers. For more information visit - http://www.computeach.co.uk/ For interviews, images or comments contact: Rosie Guise Marketing Computeach International Ltd Phone: 01384 458515 Email: rosie.guise@computeach.co.uk

How to Market Yourself in a Tough Economic Climate?

Companies are inundated with CV's on a daily basis, how easy do you think it is to get through the screening process? There is no doubt that these days it's getting even harder than before. One of the best skills you can learn is how to market yourself.....

Marketing yourself will get you a lot further and a lot faster. When you go for a job you are marketing yourself but you are also selling the most difficult product to sell - you, that's why getting a job is so tough. It's actually much easier marketing products and services to people who want your products and services than it is to get a job. Because there are so many people out there looking at the same jobs and opportunities, you have to outsell the other person. You have to equip yourself with the best strategy, the best preparation and skills required to market you as the product, demonstrating clear benefits to the prospective employer. Remember you are the product/service that needs to convince people to buy!!

SWOT Analysis on yourself

This is an important first step, just like you were going to plan a new product/service to the market you will need to understand various factors. Without doing this due-diligence in the first place I am sure you will fail to penetrate the market successfully. You need to sit down and consider the following:

* What are your talents? (features of a product)
* What benefits will you bring to your new employer? (Benefits of the product)
* What is your focus?
* Where would you like to be in 2, 5 and 10 years time?
* What are your weaknesses? How will this impact your effectiveness?

How can you turn these into positives?

Develop a Strategy

This is very important; again you would not launch a product and/or new service without developing a strategy. From your point of view you need to sit down and be clear on what it is you're looking for, you're areas of flexibility and your dream job!

How can I develop a strategy? You should look at the market, are you interested in competitors? Who are they? Do you know the type of company you are looking to join? The type of sector? The culture? These all need to be considered.

You need to decide which potential agencies to engage with, don't just engage with everyone. Pick suppliers who are targeted to specific markets and have a real knowledge of their sector. Research job boards, make sure you understand which ones offer the most opportunities with your skills and look into networking sites. This is a great way to make connections with hiring managers/companies directly (http://www.linkedin.com , http://www.xing.com & http://www.ecademy.com are my favourites.)

The Basics: But forget them at your peril!!

Make sure you're CV is 100% accurate in terms of spelling, grammar and punctuation. This is the first way you can turn off a prospective customer. Would you buy a product that looked faulty or the packaging was messy/information was spelt wrong or inaccurate - I doubt it!

Make sure you have your CV proof read by others, the layout is impeccable, to the point and contains killer content that stands out. Not just I did this, I did that etc etc. You need to make sure it demonstrates real value throughout, like a brochure that would tempt someone to buy a product / service.

What you can do in your current job to help

Make sure that you constantly have a focus and plan as to where you want to go and be. Then you can align your skills towards that route, if you are looking to move in different directions look into training, self development and qualifications. Additional extra's to your profile will always help your CV and find out what your customers (potential employer) actually want to see on a CV.

Remember, when you have products and services that people want, marketing to them is easy, it will also mean you will then have more people coming to you as your skills will be in demand.

Be-Proactive

This is key to marketing yourself, as above you can help yourself get found but combine this with a pro-active approach and you will get where you want to go so much faster. Make connections on the job currently (you never know where you're boss will end up), facilitate the networking sites, research who you want to work for and go out there and get them. Don't rely on agencies and don't blame them if you don't get where you want to go - THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! Agencies can help you and use them as a tool, but make sure you act yourself. Remember a multi-communication approach is far more effective than relying on one avenue.

The Sales Stage

So you have got several interviews lined up - you have managed to market yourself successfully to this point and know you're really embarking on the crunch stage which will be the interview. This is getting you close closing the sale.

To prepare for this make sure you do the following:

* Thoroughly research your audience (company & individuals)
* Practice interviewing with members of the family, friends and/or a professional interviewer
* Read interview techniques & prospective questions, have all the answers in your head for any eventuality
* Make sure you are immaculately presented
* Remember to focus on your impact / initial impression - people form opinions of others within the first 10 seconds of meeting
* Remember to talk clearly, succinctly, to the point and with examples (your features and benefits)
* Build rapport and smile - this can go a long way

Hopefully all of the above has given you a useful insight into how you can market yourself to be successful in this tough economic climate - to stand out of the crowd you need to market yourself effectively. Without doing this you as a product / service may be left on the scrapheap.

About the Author

Edwin Abl is a Director of Consegna UK which is a leading recruitment consultancy specialising in jobs in Management Consulting and the Technology sectors.

7 Benefits of Owning a Computer Work at Home Job

Computer work at home jobs are growing in numbers. Some cost very little to start-up and others are completely free to start. But regardless of what type of computer work at home business you run there are many benefits.

1. Decreased start-up time:

A computer work at home business takes only about 3 months to start-up and become successful with. To do that offline you would need a degree in marketing and a lot of connections. You could sign up for many of the programs offered today and start earning money within 48 hours.

2. Lower start up costs:

The average computer work at home job only costs about $48.00. And there are many franchises that cost well below those of offline ones. Many work at home jobs are free to start and have a low ongoing maintenance cost. This makes it easy for virtually anyone to get into the computer work at home game.

3. Find your passion:

Not everyone knows what they want to do. But doing a computer work at home job lets you find out easier and faster. You can test and try out several different jobs in different niches to find out what type of work you enjoy best. I know a several people who credit their online jobs for helping find their passion.

4. Learn to become a leader:

The internet is great for finding resources to further your career online or off. You'll soon realize once you begin a computer work at home job that there are a ton of people out there who have wisdom worth seeking, and they are more than willing to offer you advice and tips for free to help you become a leader in your industry. One thing about internet marketers, as competitive as they may be, they love to help others.

5. More money:

Having a shop open 24/7 means you never have to lose out on sales. While your sleeping, on vacation, or even at another job, your computer work at home job is at work. There are so many methods of generating an income online that one can quickly find themselves earning a substantial amount of money without burning the midnight oil.

6. Shorter work days:

The average work day for someone who owns a computer work at home business is about 6 hours. Thats two hours less than working offline. Not to mention with no commuting time that is another hour to spare.

7. Pursue other interests:

You can devote all the time you're saving to other things you love. I love knowing that while my friends are hard at work at their jobs, I can take a walk in park, catch a movie or finish that book I started, because I'm not on anyones clock. I work when I want for as long as I want. As long as I get my work done, I don't mind spending some of my day doing other things that I enjoy.

The list can go on. But the point is, owning a computer work at home business is great.

About the Author

Jeff Casmer is a leading legitimate work at home expert and is a work from home business owner. His "Top Ranked" Computer Work at Home Job Directory gives you all the information you need to Work at Home in the 21st century.

2 Major Reasons to Get a Computer Work at Home Job

It surprises me how many people are still skeptical about putting their computer to work. Thousands of people earn work at home incomes via the internet. Yet still so many others shake their heads rejecting the idea of making money with their computer.

Now, I understand if owning a home business is just not your thing, but if you're even a little interested and haven't gotten in the game because your unconvinced that you can get a computer work at home job pay attention.

There are several reasons people chose to get computer work at home jobs vs running a typical offline business. But among those reasons are these two popular ones: the start process is faster as well as cheaper and you earn more in shorter time period. Those reasons were enough to convince me and apparently 10,000 others.

1) Faster Start-Up Process

Imagine being able to set up your business within a matter of 24 hours and begin making money. It sounds like a fairytale, devised by marketers to take your money but it is realistic.

There are countless businesses that can have you up and running within a day rather the years it takes for an offline business. Even if you aren't interested in owning a complicated business, you can still earn money with your computer as a virtual assistant, by taking surveys, or as an affiliate marketer.

All the above mentioned computer work at home jobs have shorter start-up fees and processes than anything you could do offline. For instance, if you signed up for a survey site today you could have your first survey in your inbox within minutes of signing up and begin making money immediately. The same goes with being a virtual assistant. The internet offers countless ways to connect with employers and clients. You no longer need to bang on hundreds of doors; you can set up a profile with http://elance.com and get your first job today.

For many computer work at home businesses the waiting period to get running and start making money is shorter. This makes earning money faster and you're given opportunities to earn a lot.

2) The Ability to Earn More

Perhaps the number one reason people take up computer work at home jobs is because your income potential is twice as much as working offline. As a work at home business owner your shop is open 24/7. Imagine going to sleep and waking up to find out you earned $200. For a number of folks this is something that happens regularly. There are a plethora of ways to make money online but more importantly because you don't have to put all your efforts into one thing you can create multiple streams of income which is how most millionaires make their money.

The millionaire life is achievable if you have a computer work at home job. Don't get me wrong you still have to put in the hours and keep up to date on current work trends in your niche, but doing a home based job offers you more time and more methods of making money than majority of jobs found off the internet.

If you've been pondering over whether or not you should get a computer work at home job, give your mind and rest and just do it. You'll be making extra money in a shorter time span in the comfort of your own home. It that isn't a good enough reason, I don't know what is.

About the Author

Jeff Casmer is a leading legitimate work at home expert and is a work from home business owner. His "Top Ranked" Computer Work at Home Job Directory gives you all the information you need to Earn Money in the 21st century.

How Prepared Are You For Your Interview?

Interviews can be nerve wracking and if you turn up unprepared it could cost you your dream job.

Interviews are varied and they won't always follow a set pattern but if you consider the following points your chances of success will be improved.

Make sure you are well prepared with as much information about the role you are going for and the company as a whole. The company's website will be a good source of information about the company as well as information about the products or services they offer.

Make sure you know how many people will be interviewing you. Also try and find out what their roles are within the company.

It may sound obvious but make sure you know exactly where it is you have to go to attend the interview. Make sure you have the correct directions as well as any information on parking or the nearest railway station. Always make sure you give yourself plenty of time to arrive. Arriving late will give a bad first impression. Arriving also gives you the opportunity to gather your thoughts and prepare yourself.

Always dress to impress, decide what you are going to wear the night before to avoid rushing around the day of your interview.

Have a copy of your CV with you and ensure you have read it through so you are able to answer any questions.

When meeting the interviewer(s) for the first time, always greet them with a smile and a strong handshake. Make sure you maintain good eye contact at all times, especially with the interviewer to whom you are responding to. Respond to the style of the interviewer, if they are formal - be formal, if they are informal - be informal.

Ask questions and show a real interest in the position and the company. Aim for questions that indicate an interest in their line of work or products and your enthusiasm and interest in the role itself, rather than holiday entitlement, pensions etc.

Make sure you are prepared for questions you think they may ask you. Try to focus on your achievements when answering and portray every response in a positive way. If you do not understand a question, don't guess the answer - ask them to explain the question further. Although you may be nervous and want to give the impression you are knowledgeable, don't talk too much. Give yourself time to think about your answer before you reply.

Have your own questions prepared in advance but try to ensure that you use them in the context of the interview and think about the information you have already been given by the interviewer already. This will help to show the interviewer that you are interested in the company and want to find out more about the role you are being interviewed for.

The type of questions you may want to think about:

* What career development pathway could I expect over the next few years?

* What training is available within this role?

* What is the overall culture of the company?

At the end of the interview, if the opportunity arises, ask them how they felt the interview went. Also, if you are interested in the position, it is important to tell them.

Finally, make sure you know what the follow up procedure is, and when you can expect to hear back from them. Always thank them for seeing you.

About the Author

Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For information on online recruitment and job vacancy services, he recommends Matchtech, the UK's leading Technical Recruitment Agency.

7 Power Steps To Your Dream Career.

1. Build on your strengths and polish them to sheer perfection. For instance if you are a good writer and enjoy writing… well polish this skill… write even better. Get the best writing courses out there…. Become the best that you can be... invest in your education. Invest in your personal development. This is the best and most profitable investment you will ever make.

2. You are in business for yourself. If it is a job, you are selling your services to your employer, and you have only one client; While in a business you may have several clients. So whether you are doing a job search, or searching for your first client, the concept is the same: You are proactively selling yourself. Learn some marketing and persuasive communication skills.

3. Find out what and how other successful people in your career of choice have 'done it' and model their success. For instance if you are planning to be a copywriter... Find what courses the top people in your industry have taken and take them, find out the books they have read and read them, find out the professional associations and clubs they belong to... and join those very same associations, find the books and courses those people have written and read them and follow through step by step... try to cultivate the same skills, abilities, methods of business. Here don't try to re-invent the wheel, but try to build upon it... Model all the successful elements and leave out all the mistakes and negative aspects.

4. Find mentors to guide you along the way... It is a well known fact that your total income is an average of your 5 closest acquaintances... So to move forward you need to find people who are much further along in your chosen field of business, and use them as mentors. Meet with them from time to time, listen to their experiences, ask for their advise, and use them as coaches to referee your business.

5. Reconnect with your 'inner self' and learn to follow your intuition and live your own values. Of course you are going to be the best that you can be, you are going to model the top most professionals in your chosen career field, you are going to get mentored by people more successful than you are...

But always remember: you are who you are, you have got a whole set of values and inner truths inherently built into your DNA, so before taking any actions always reconnect with your deepest values and follow your own insights and intuitions. These always point you in your true path...

Remember, even the most successful people have got there own limitations and values they live by... these may not be right for you... for instance famous short sighted words of celebrities abound for eg. "Everything that can be invented has been invented." -- Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899; or "Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible." -- Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895 ... So use your own insights, intuitions and values as your guiding light.

6. Expect to be successful... Your beliefs and attitude count. Yes, almost without fail, what you expect is what you get. If you expect success, you will be successful and vice versa. If you don't believe this concept... try it even for just one day, expect to be successful and experience the best every moment of that day and you will be amazed at how your day turns out... So however outrageous this may sound, monitor your thoughts and beliefs, and try to replace all negatives with positives. Believe in yourself and you will be successful.

7. Take action along the above lines. Merely dreaming or planning will not get you there. You need to start taking action… one small step at a time. Prepare a list of action steps and work through your list slowly but surely.

About the Author

Copyright [C] Shahnaz Rauf … If You are searching for your dream career, read more dream career articles at http://www.how2findyourdreamcareer.com