10 Job Interview Questions for Remote Jobs

10 Job Interview Questions for Remote Jobs10 Job Interview Questions for Remote Jobs8If you are a relative newcomer to the world of telecommuting, you might be wondering what to expect as job interview questions for remote jobs. Most recruiters will ask things that are specifically designed to determine how good of a fit a candidate will be while working from a home office. Even questions that seem more general are opportunities to highlight reasons you would make a great fit for a remote job. As a parte of the ongoing effort to best prepare you for the awesomeness that is flexible work, weve got you covered on some common job interview questions for remote jobs and ways to answer them.Here are 10 job interview questions for remote jobsTell me about your favorite/least favorite job.This is one of those job interview questions for remote jobs that you will probably see. If your favorite job included interacting with lots of people all day, or your least favorite one welches when you f elt stuck behind a desk, an interviewer is not likely to see you as a great fit. If those jobs are your honest answers, be sure to talk about them in a way that shows a commonality- or lack thereof- and you as the perfect candidate.What does your home office look like?A hiring manager wants some reassurance that the environment you would be working from is comfortable, allows you to be productive, and is reasonably free from distractions. Let them know that youve put some effort into how to organize your home office. Without rambling on too long, give a clear picture of how you will work and why it will be a quiet and productive space. Employers often ask job interview questions for remote jobs such as this to get an idea of how successful you might be working from home.Do you prefer to work within a structured environment or would you rather have things less regimented?This is a tricky one. Ideally, you are the type of person who likes buchung and clear expectations, yet works well independently and has no trouble motivating yourself.How do you/would you minimize distractions when you work from home?Companies that offer remote jobs know that everyone has times when it is a challenge to stay focused when working at home. Talk about some specific things that can occur- a friend calls for a chat, the sink is full of dishes, or the kids are home from school- and discuss your specific strategies to limit distractions. It can also be useful to mention that your time working in offices tells you there can be just as many, if not more, distractions there.Why do you want to work for our company?Your answer should be specific to the company you are talking to and not something that could fit any company, any position. Interviewers are trying to determine if youve done your homework about the company and what it is that brought you to this point.Will this be an additional job for you or are you looking to leave your other position?This is something most likely to be ask ed for part-time jobs or freelance contracts. Be honest about your intentions. You are much more likely to get something that meets your needs.How do you keep yourself motivated?A big part of having a remote job is the ability to stay focused and productive when no one is watching. Give examples of how you organize your day and how you prioritize tasks to stay on track.What do you like best/least about working from home? Be ready for job interview questions for remote jobs such as this.Let the interviewer know that you are very familiar with the benefits of working from home. For the flip side of the question, its great to show that you are aware of the drawbacks that can occur. Just make sure to spin that answer with how you will compensate. If you talk about missing the social interaction with coworkers, follow it up with describing how the time you save not having to commute means you are able to meet up with friends for dinner once a week.Tell me about a time you made a mistake at work and how you fixed it.Give an example that isnt too serious in nature, but something that was actually your mistake. A hiring manager wants to know that you are willing to try new things- which will bring a mistake every now and then- and how you learned from it. They are also looking to see how forthcoming you will be when you work in a remote job. Employers ask job interview questions for remote jobs such as this to determine how honest and resourceful job candidates are.Why are you the right person for this job?This is your big moment to answer one of thejob interview questions for remote jobsthat could make or break your chances. An open-ended question that allows you to give a winning elevator pitch. Make sure your response includes what you can offer the company. Dont focus exclusively on why you want the job.Readers, what job interview questions for remote jobs do you least like in an interview and why? How do you answer difficult interview questions?

Should I Write My Resume in Past or Present Tense

Should I Write My Resume in Past or Present TenseShould I Write My Resume in Past or Present Tense?Should I Write My Resume in Past or Present TenseLets talk about verb tenses past, present, and future. Only two of these should ever be used on your resume, and future isnt one of them.Confused yet? Heres a grammar refresherPast tense verbs express actions that already happened, and they usually end in -ed (except the funky ones like ran or made)Example Organized and analyzed data obtained during testing.Present tense verbs refer to current or ongoing actionseither something youre doing right now, or that you do repeatedlyExample Develop curriculum for K-12 environmental program.But how do I know what tense to use in my resume?Its simple If youre employed and writing about the responsibilities and accomplishments in your present job, use the present tense. If youre writing about a past job, use past tense.See? Easy-peasy.But wait Heres a curve tanzfest What if your current job involves a responsibility that you no longer have? Like hiring seven new staff members? You accomplished that goal, but technically you cant describe it in the present tense because youre no longer performing that duty.So now what do you do? One option is to write your everyday responsibilities in present tense and your accomplishments in past tense. In this case, make sure all of your current responsibilities are followed by your past accomplishments for that position. Heres what that might look likeCreate and maintain quarterly department reportsManage product engineering and development processHired and trained 7 staff membersDeveloped new task management system that increased productivity 25%When in doubt...The simplest option is to put everything in past tense (yes, even your current responsibilities). After all, if youre an active job seeker, youre ready to put that current job in the past and make your next career move, so you might as well departure with your resume.But whatever you do, the key is to be consistent throughout the entire resume. Random mixing and matching of verb tenses is a resume dont.

How to Find Work as a Session Musician

How to Find Work as a Session MusicianHow to Find Work as a Session MusicianThe hardest part of getting started as a session musician is finding your first few jobs. These tips should help you narrow your session musician job hunt down and kick start things, so the work starts pouring in. Work Your Contacts A lot of things in the music industry are about who you know, and getting to work as a session musician is no different. Do you know any musicians who are getting ready to record that might be able to use an extra hand? Do you know anyone who works in a studio? Even if you dont know anyone who can give you some work right off the bat, get the word out in your circle that youre available for hire. Hit Up Your Local Studios Studios are often in the position of telling musicians where they can find a good such and such player. You need to be on their radar. If you live in a place with a healthy music scene, youll be facing a lot of competition, and there are likely to be esta blished players that get the first phone calls when a job needs to be done. Thats ok. You just need your one chance to get in there and do a good job, so stick with it. When youre introducing yourself to a studio, play up any past experience - it will let people know that youre professional and understand the recording process. Let the Labels Know Are there any labels operating in your area? Make sure they know youre available to hire, so they can mention youre name when one of their bands need a player for recording or someone to fill in for a show. Advertise Advertise your services on Craigslist, local papers, flyers in record shops and studios, katechese boards frequented by musicians - anywhere you can think of it. Think about especially targeting websites and message boards that are read by songwriters who may need a musician to record demos of their songs or vocalists who need a backing band to record their demo. Find Your Niche OK, maybe your dream is to make a li ving playing the guitar as a session player. Take a number. If you play a mean glock/pedal steel/theremin/insert instrument here, that could be your way of opening the session musician door. It doesnt have to be a particularly outlandish kind of instrument - horns, double bass, mandolin, cello - its much harder to find musicians who can play these instruments than it is to find a session keyboard player, which makes those musicians in higher demand. Even if you want to move to a different instrument later, work your unique skills to get in the door. Do Some Recording If youre having a hard time getting the studios to pay attention to you, consider booking a recording session. Dont blow a lot of money, but if you can get in for a few hours, youll build a relationship with the people working there while showing off your chops. This is more of a workaround than an ideal situation, but sometimes creative thinking is key to getting your break If at First, You Dont Succeed Breakin g into session musician work can take time and patience. Just like everything in the music industry, it is competitive and requires a lot of self-promotion and a little bit of luck. Continue to put yourself in situations where youll meet fellow musicians and where people can hear your playing, and keep spreading the word. It may be hard breaking into this kind of work, but the flip side is that once youre in, youre IN. The time and effort you invest in establishing yourself will have been well worth it when youre the go-to player in your town.