We are all aware that using the internet today for a job search is a huge time saver. Webcam interviews and emailed resumes save potential new hires hours of driving, printing, mailing, and air travel time not to mention the countless hours just waiting for flights. Americans are also beginning to realize that webcam technology offers solutions to problems other than time issues: environmental concerns related to dependence on fossil fuels are reframed by the possibilities of electronic communication. Digital technology has given HR and job candidates the “green interview” and eco-friendly employment.

     According to the Sierra Club (sierraclub.org) more than 50 percent of adults believe that their employers should do more to be environmentally responsible. Many companies have already taken steps to do so by embracing technology and using electronic methods such as websites to advertise available positions. Requesting emailed resumes and correspondences is also ecologically conscious. Paperless communications are invaluable in the fight to reduce a company’s carbon footprint; in the production of regular office paper, mills pollute water, air, and soil. Paper production is one of the most polluting industries in North America (ranked 3^rd) and uses chlorine-based bleaches that result in toxic emissions.

     Webcam interviews are also greener than many realize. Americans must cut carbon-dioxide emissions 80 percent in the next 40 years in order to successfully combat global warming. According to the EPA, more than 30% of carbon dioxide emissions in the US result from gasoline engines in cars, light trucks and SUVs.  Additionally, drivers in cities such as Los Angeles and New York City waste over 600 million gallons of gas annually while idling in traffic. The use of webcam interviews reduces the release of carbon dioxide from cars driven by job seekers attending interviews in the job search process.

     The EPA also estimates that air travel causes 3.5 percent of global warming and predicts that the amount could rise to 15 percent in the next 40 years unless America changes the way it does business. On average, an airline flight from the west coast to the east coast requires over 12,000 gallons of fuel, and emits 252,000 pounds or 126 tons of carbon dioxide. Further, the impact of carbon is 2.7x greater in the stratosphere than if emitted on land. In other words, air travel is leaving a colossal carbon footprint on the planet, one that might easily be reduced by eliminating unnecessary air travel via webcam interviewing and webcam conferencing technology. Business travel may be necessary in some cases, but air travel for employment interviews is not.

     When all factors are considered, Internet technology may offer solutions to many of the environmental problems vexing the nation today. Reducing America’s dependence on fossil fuels while further developing alternate and renewable resources is most important; using today’s technology to do this is the easy part.     

Article Title:  Interview Do’s and Don’t’s
Author Byline:  the medical sales recruiter
Author Website: http://www.phcconsulting.com/WordPress

So, who do you like in the presidential primaries?  No, don’t tell me.  I don’t want to start something here.  I do know that there’s an interesting horse race going on in both camps.  So, if the presidential race is on your mind, I found a couple of great posts on Bulls Eye Resumes that take a little something from the candidates to help you with medical device sales rep, laboratory and clinical sales rep, or pharmaceutical sales rep interviews:

Interview Do’s From the Presidential Race:  (a few of my favorites)

Bring your personality to the job interview.  You can be engaging and friendly and yourself while answering interview questions without feeling like you have to have false cheer.  The hiring manager is a person, after all, and will likely be as turned off by that as you would be. 
Answer the specific question asked.  Be prepared, but don’t have your answers so “canned” that you answer by rote and don’t seem engaged in this conversation.  (For a laugh, see some really honest answers here…)
Own your failures.  Don’t act like you don’t have any, because the interviewer knows better.  Focus on what you learned from them.
Interview Don’ts From the Presidential Race:  (again, some of my favorites)

Don’t make false claims about your past job performance.  You will be found out.  Recruiters, especially, will look up your references. 
Don’t schedule your interview during a time when your energy is low.  Are you a morning person, or are you more alert in the afternoons?  You don’t want to walk into an interview looking like you need a nap.
Don’t use the same tired lines everyone else is using.  Buzzwords, yes.  You show that you’re informed on the latest developments in your industry.  Using standard “interview speak” when answering won’t get you the positive attention you want.   
These really are very informative posts, with even more information than what I’ve highlighted here.  Definitely worth the read. Article courtesy of the  http://www.recruitingblogswap.com/ a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for  http://www.collegerecruiter.com/pages/internship-job-postings.php students looking for internshipshttp://www.collegerecruiter.com/jobs/ graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

"Sell me this Pencil"; personnel and sales managers used to ask applicants this question during interviews on a regular basis.  Believe it or not, it is a relatively effective way of finding out how well an individual thinks on his / her feet.  Can she speak well and make eye contact when she is surprised?  Can he smile and behave professionally when he is at a loss for words?  Clearly, job applicants will do a better job of “selling that pencil” if they are prepared for the question and have some knowledge of various types of pencils.

The one benefit of this interview strategy for the applicant is that the pencil serves as a focal point of discussion; it is a visual aid that actually allows some description to be “acted upon” by moving the pencil.  It is a real example with which the candidate can dazzle the interviewer.

The point is that preparation and real examples of an applicant’s skills serve to illustrate the qualifications and fit of that applicant. Human resource managers and personnel directors should expect applicants to come in prepared with information abut the company, its mission statement, and the available position.  Candidates should prepare a “portfolio” or project review / summary in order to present a real example of proficiencies, skills, technical and computer knowledge.  The potential employee can reference the portfolio while he or she answers the interviewer’s questions.  This can be done during a webcam interview as well because the portfolio can be emailed, faxed, or snail-mailed to the human resources director or interviewer prior to t he act ual or electronic meeting.

It is very important that an applicant’s portfolio or visual presentation be professional and of the highest quality.  The design of the portfolio must reflect an organization and demonstrate the culture of the profession.  For example, an applicant hoping to fill a graphics position must present a graphics-heavy portfolio, etc.  Further, the applicant should have his or her own copy of the portfolio to reference during the interview.

In this day and age, developing a professional resume is easier than ever.  There are multiple resume construction websites as well as professional resume software available for purchase.  There are also resume services that will interview job seekers and create for them a professional resume that shapes talents and skills so that they are particularly attractive to growing companies in a specific region.  Human resources officers find these professional resumes, are duly impressed, and contact the respective candidates.   Interviews are scheduled, and candidates prepare.  ; Some candidates, however, don’t prepare and cannot land the job and close the deal.  What should job applicants do to appropriately prepare for a job interview?

                Research:  Candidates should spend as much time as possible researching a company prior to an interview.  Most companies have web sites that contain pertinent information on its diversity policies, benefits, and often offer the requirements of available positions.  Knowledge of the company and its culture will be obvious to the interviewer during a first meeting and will show the candidate is a forward thinker and a true professional. Further, company research will ensure that the candidate actually wants to invest time and energy in a company.

                Underselling Themselves:  Candidates should be prepared to assert their aptitude, skills, and the ways in which they can help the company achieve its mission.  Obviously, the company is looking for workers; the successful applicants are those who can illuminate their proficiencies and talents and convince the interviewer that their experience is best for the available position.

                Failing to Listen:  In most cases, employers know what they want in a new hire; they know what questions they want to ask and know what answers they hope to hear.  A successful candidate will listen to the questions asked, detect the subtext of those questions, and answer accordingly.  For example, a question about meeting deadlines may really be an inquiry into one’s management style.  Applicants may know what information they hope to impart, but they must listen to the company’s representatives and follow the lead of the interviewer.  Interaction should be give and ta ke.

                Maintain Professionalism:  A brief mention of the World Series or the Final Four is a good ice-breaker and can make an interview more comfortable for all involved.  However, personal information which has no bearing on the issues at hand is not appropriate.  A candidate’s reasons for adjusting administrative style or shifting focus from email to personal communications is important and may include some real workplace or life experiences, but these are only significant if they are relevant to the available position.  Candidates should not discuss personal relationships, irrelevant health or medical issues, or even the p arking problem encountered that morning. 

                Currently, developing a professional resume is the easiest part of landing the perfect job.  Interviewers are prepared to meet and conference with applicants; applicants should be prepared to demonstrate their skills and professionalism.  Candidates should be prepared to become new hires.

1. An Employer identifies a candidate he or she wants to interview, and the same is conveyed to the applicant via e-mail.
2. Candidate logs into LiveHire and accepts the invitation to be interviewed.
3. On the scheduled time and date, the employer as well as the candidate log in to LiveHire.com, and begin the interview in real time via webcam.