Today's job market is very competitive and even lower paying jobs can be hard to find in this economy. In order to succeed in today's job market you need an advantage. But before we talk about advantages, let's first deal with disadvantages. Anything that would work against you getting hired is a disadvantage. Presentation is very important. The first chance you get to present yourself is usually through a resume or job application. It is important to have a resume that does a good job of highlighting your skills and strengths. Even if your work history is not that great you can still find a way to highlight your strengths. Providing information on organizations that you've volunteered to support is one way to highlight strengths. If your work history is weak and you can't think of any strengths to highlight, find a good non profit organization and volunteer some of your time. After you've been there for a little while ask for letters of recommendation and add this experience to your resume.

Getting hired is a process and you can be disqualified anywhere in the process. Ring tones are a beautiful thing but I don't think it is very professional to have a ring tone on your phone while you are in the process of trying to secure employment. An employer may make a judgement call on your personality or character based on the song you have as a ring tone. Don't get disqualified because of your ring tone. Some things become necessary because of the time. We are in a recession. Jobs are scarce. Give yourself every advantage you can find. Eliminate anything that may be a disadvantage. Cancel the ring tone.

After applying for several positions you finally get a call. The process continues with an interview. Again, presentation is key. You have to sell yourself. Rule number one is you are never late for an interview. Make sure you know exactly where the business is located. If necessary, take a drive to the location the day before the scheduled interview so that you are comfortable with the directions. Plan on showing up early. Give yourself time to relax. If you are late you will be tense and it may show in your presentation.

Dress is a very important part of your presentation. Today's workplace has transitioned to more of a business casual environment. Your definition of business casual may be different from the potential employers definition. It would be a good idea to somehow get an idea of exactly how the employees of the business you are interviewing with dress. A lot of people get disqualified striclty on their dress. You may have a specific style that you like but your style may not fit with the dress code. Be flexible. Be willing to adapt your style for the sake of getting a job. You may have the skills required to do the job and you may even interview well but if you misrepresent yourself by means of your attire you may be disqualified for a job you deserved.

Finally, practice for the interview. Go over a list of commonly asked questions and be comfortable answering those questions in a way that highlights your strengths. Sell yourself by highlighting your strengths. It is not always the person with the best skills who get the job. It is not always the person with the most experience who wins either. A lot of employers want someone whom they feel will fit in with the office staff. Managers hate having to resolve office conflicts. They want people who will come to work on time and just do their jobs. It's up to you to sell yourself as the person they are looking for.

What are your qualifications for this position?

What do you know about this company?

Why do you think you’ll be a good fit for this company?

What job related projects are you most proud of?

What is the most important thing you’ve learned from your previous experience that will enable you to be successful in your next position?

What personality traits do you possess that you think are necessary to succeed in this field?

What is the most significant improvement in (your field or area of expertise) that you have achieved in the last year?

Why should we hire you?

What are your strengths?

What are your weaknesses?