by PC Marks

Created on: November 02, 2008   Last Updated: November 12, 2008

How to get a job is not as simple as filling out an application, showing up dressed to impress for the interview and snagging the job. The company has to be researched. Your reasoning for selecting the company has to be explained and qualifications for the position are all established in the initial interview.

In the second interview, you must impress the interviewer relaying more information about the company and the skills and knowledge possessed for the position without seeming under/over qualified in hopes of becoming the primary candidate for hire.

The process of determining viable candidates for employment is estimated at taking at least four weeks. Most places of employment are going to check your credit, perform a criminal background check, and call all references and old employers. There going to test for substance abuse and wait for all the documentation to come back for approval.

I would suggest utilizing your skills in a temporary placement position. Temporary Agencies are often overlooked due to low pay. The Agency charges a decent salary for your services as a contracted agent. The "temporary employee" is assigned for a designated period of time earning a small percentage or placed with the understanding that the position will become permanent.

A "temporary employee" also has the leverage to ask for certain assignments. This allows for new skills to be added to your resume. For example: an excellent bookkeeper looking to become an Accountant. As a temp, you can asked to be placed in temporary Accounting Jobs.

Do not overlook the fact that this could be construed as a three-to- six-month interview where time is allotted to show possessed skills such as professionalism, dependability, ability to learn quickly, process enhancement and improvement and all other skills applicable to the position.

When the agreed upon time comes to an end, you either know if this is a company you could grow with and pursue a full time position. An edge on the competition has already been established because you have shown your capabilities and the boss knows what he/she is going to get.

Or you may very well find it best to shake the hands of the powers that be and move on to the next assignment if you find it's a dead end job, something you find quite uninteresting, no room for growth, etc. The latter is not a bad thing. You've created a professional reference and shown the seriousness of finding a good fit for you.

Also in a temporary position, you have the flexibility and opportunity of securing the dream job you have applied for learning new skills to add to your resume to be discussed in the final interview.

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