24 saturday nov 9 2002 economist sun stouffville tribune business seekers ir own fuck research survey reveals strange interview incidents by jeff mitchell staff writer true story a job seeker shows up for a morning inter view carrying a box of doughnuts to the aston ishment of the interviewer the man begins to eat each and every one of the pas tries explaining it is the only chance hell have to catch breakfast true story when asked why he wants to work for the company a job applicant responds ill have to think about it and get back to you he then gets up walks out of the office and never returns believe it or not this kind of behaviour is displayed every day by people attempting to find employ ment according to officeteam a worldwide administrative staffing serv ice with offices in york region the company conducted research in which executives were asked to describe the strangest occurrences theyve witnessed during job interviews while some behaviour reported was out rageous it is within the realm of plausibility accord ing to lara dodo branch manager with officeteams richmond hill office some of them i said yeah it happens ms dodo said with a laugh you shake your head because you think to yourself what were peo ple thinking the honest truth is i dont know many of the transgres sions outlined in die officeteam research run contrary to the essential rules of job hunting ms dodo said there are a few simple rules for job seekers including be prepared know the job for which youre applying and the company with which you are seeking employment dont be like the man who when asked what he could contribute to a company replied thats a good question i havent given it much thought at the end of the day a job seeker is supplying something theyre supplying their skills and knowledge as a supplier we have to be aware of what the industry is buying be professional dress appropriately be punctual present your resume and portfolio material properly conduct yourself with the appropriate air of confi dence and ability dont be like the candidate who a few minutes into an interview picked up his cellphone to call his parents and let them know the meeting was going well be positive act as if you want to be there and will be a productive enthusiastic member of the team because thats what human resources executives and managers look for die right fit youd be advised not to react like the woman who was asked during an inter view why she was leaving her current job my manag er is a jerk she replied all managers are jerks ms dodo said its often lack of preparation that causes candidates trouble if youre uninformed going into an interview youll be illprepared to answer ques tions and make pertinent inquiries treat your job search as you would a fulltime job ms dodo said because it is a fulltime job its a mind set it starts with the way you introduce yourself to a com pany in the form of your resume and cover letter these documents should attract human resources people by explaining the experience and talents you have relevant to the job it continues with person al contact which typically begins with a phone call leading to an interview or series of interviews throughout the job seek er must be professional pre sentable and marketable ms dodo said ultimately you want to present yourself in the best light thats going to illumi nate or highlight your tal ents she said a word of warning though dont overdo it ms dodo said its best to be con servative in dress and demeanour everyone has the impression you have to sell yourself she said and you do but i think theres a line between being confident and being assumptive theres a fine line between overselling and underselling that approach of market ing ones abilities and talents as commodities is a wise one in todays hectic job market said julie bulmash director of human resources with syndesis a richmond hill technology company at the end of the day a job seeker is supplying something she said staff photomike barrett see applicants page 25 job seekers need to follow the three ps of behaviour be prepared be professional and be positive eating snacks during the interview has been tried but is not recommended come to our optometry practice on wednesday november 13 2002 between 1000 am and 100 pm for an eye health clinic and open house on diabetes and its impact on your eyes health we will be holding a clinic for people diagnosed with diabetes anyone who is not eligible for an eye examination under ohip will receive a free eye examination on the day of this clinic call ahead for your appointment dont lose sight of diabetic eye disease dr h h waljl optomertrist 6633 hwy 7 east markham 471eyes 3937