xScion Solutions, LLC

Picture this…  You have an upcoming interview and since you have been reading our recent blog posts, you are well prepared.  You know what to say, what not to say, how to act, when to get there, and all of your goals.  You get to the interview, give a confident handshake, sit down, and immediately start rocking it.  You are on top of your interviewing game.  You’ve done your research and it is paying off.  Then, the interviewer asks an unexpected question.  One that forces you to come to a dead halt, and requires you to give a glimpse into your personal life: “What do you do for fun?” (more…)

I have a laid back interview style that I employ to put people at ease with the hopes that by doing so, they will get comfortable and show their true personalities and drop their interview game faces.  When I meet with a potential employee, I enthusiastically thank them for coming in, offer them something to drink and am generally very friendly.  I sit in a relaxed manner and try to come across as casually as possible.  My overall attitude and the fact that I am relatively small in stature usually gets the candidate to relax.  Sometimes too much. (more…)

Most of us experience some level of anxiety when we know we have a job interview coming up.  This does not mean we have to let our nerves get to us.  Ultimately, the goal is to stand apart from the rest of the candidates.  Your interview is your chance to demonstrate why you will be a valuable asset to the company.  Pongo Resume gives a list of 20 things to avoid while at an interview.  If you go through this list and plan accordingly, you will be well on your way to a successful interview! (more…)

Some people think that experience is all you need to have and is key to getting a job in the business world. Although experience is very important, it tends to be slightly overrated by employers when it comes to the hiring of new employees.

It’s true. There are 4 essential qualities every exceptional employees possesses- and believe it or not experience is not one of them! These qualities are intangible, cannot be taught, and are an absolute must from the smart managers perspective. Here are 4 easy to remember traits that will give you the edge over more experienced candidates: (more…)

You can’t turn on the TV without hearing more about the government’s latest action on extending unemployment benefits. And, while it may seem like a huge bill for the nation to handle right now, there’s no doubt that the pool of workers depending on that money remains enormous. Despite talk about a recovery and the end of the recession, the official unemployment rate is around 10 percent, with actual unemployment being closer to 17 percent.  (more…)

It’s easy to let your resume sit stagnant for far too long. After all, you lived all those experiences, so your resume’s portrayal of them might seem like it’s the best it can be. But sometimes it’s necessary to step back and take a look with fresh eyes, especially if you’re repeatedly going unnoticed in the sea of applicants. A while back, we looked at how infographics can go a long way to set you apart. More recently, we told you some buzzwords that you should cut from those pages. Now we’re going back to the basics with 8 tips from Charles Purdy of Monster that will help your resume present the best you possible.  (more…)

Whether your dusting off your resume, or putting your very first one together, there are some things to avoid, Specifically, Karen Burns of Yahoo! Finance has put together a list of 50 buzzwords that shouldn’t show up anywhere on those pages.

While some of these words and phrases may seeming innocent enough, Burns reasons that all they do is take up space that could be used for concrete examples of your accomplishments. As such, they equate to lost opportunities.

So if you agree with this idea, take a red pen to your resume and cut any and all resume-speak. When there’s scarce room for words and you need to stand out, you can do better . . . Or maybe you think these phrases hold value and truly represent the kind of employee you intend to be, and should therefore remain. Let us know in the comments.

Here’s a sampling from the complete list:

Team player
People-person
Detail-oriented
Highly skilled
Works well under pressure
Strategic thinker
Multi-tasker
Trustworthy
Perfectionist
Strong work ethic

. . . Etc. Etc. Etc.