Your main goal in an interview is to show the company your strengths and tell them why you would be the best fit for the job. When the tables turn and the interviewer asks what your biggest weakness is, many candidates freeze. You do not want them to know why NOT to hire you! But there is an easy way to answer this question without ruining your chances.

First, be honest! But counteract that weakness with its corresponding strength. By using the list below, recently posted on LinkedIn by Dave Kerpen, you can actually turn this question into another chance to show off your strengths.

1. Disorganized ---> Creative 
2. Inflexible ---> Organized 
3. Stubborn ---> Dedicated
4. Inconsistent ---> Flexible
5. Obnoxious ---> Enthusiastic
6. Emotionless ---> Calm
7. Shy ---> Reflective
8. Irresponsible ---> Adventurous
9. Boring ---> Responsible
10. Unrealistic ---> Positive
11. Negative ---> Realistic
12. Intimidating ---> Assertive
13. Weak ---> Humble
14. Arrogant ---> Self-Confident
15. Indecisive ---> Patient
16. Impatient ---> Passionate

[By Dave Kerpen, CEO, Likeable Local, NY Times Best-Selling Author & Keynote Speaker]

Some examples of how this could work for you during the interview:

• My biggest weakness is I can sometimes be stubborn, but this shows how dedicated I am to every decision I make and every task I encounter.
• My biggest weakness is that I am extremely passionate. Unfortunately, sometimes that comes off as slightly impatient, but I truly am over-passionate about everything I set my mind to.
• My biggest weakness is that I am an incurable optimist. In most settings, my positivity is appreciated, but sometimes this can lead to unrealistic goals and aspirations in the workplace. It is something I am continuously trying to improve.

By using this question to show you know you are not perfect and still have room to grow in your new position, the interviewer will hopefully be able to see the real you. Hopefully this list will help you feel more comfortable in your next interview and show your interviewer more of your strengths. Best of luck!

The 2013 tax filing deadline is fast approaching. With that in mind, the IRS has been sending out information to assist tax filers with this task. Below are 10 Tips that the IRS has provided for tax time.

IRS Offers Top 10 Tax Time Tips

1. Gather your records. Round up any documents you will need when filing your taxes, including receipts, canceled checks and other documents that support income or deductions you will be claiming on your tax return. Store them in a safe place.

2. Report all your income. You will need all your Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statements, and 1099 income statements to report your income when you file your tax return. To ensure you don’t misplace them, add them to your other records.

3. Get answers to questions. Use the Interactive Tax Assistant tool available on the IRS website to find answers to your questions about tax credits and deductions.

4. Use Free File. There is at least one option available for everyone to prepare and e-file a tax return at no cost. Let IRS Free File do the work for you with brand-name tax software or online fillable forms. It's available exclusively at IRS.gov. If your income was $57,000 or less, you qualify to use free tax software. If your income was higher, or you are comfortable preparing your own tax return, there's Free File Fillable Forms, the electronic version of IRS paper forms. Visit IRS.gov/freefile to review your options.

5. Try IRS e-file. IRS e-file is the best way to file an accurate tax return. It’s safe, easy and the way most taxpayers file their return. Last year, more than 80 percent of taxpayers used IRS e-file. Many tax preparers are now required to use e-file. If you owe taxes, you have the option to file early and pay by April 15.

6. Weigh your filing options. You have several options for filing your tax return. You can prepare it yourself or go to a tax preparer. You may be eligible for free, face-to-face help at a volunteer site. Weigh your options and choose the one that works best for you.

7. Use direct deposit. Combining e-file with direct deposit is the fastest and safest way for you to get your refund.

8. Visit the IRS website. The IRS website at IRS.gov is a great place to find everything you need to file your tax return. This includes many online tools, filing tips, answers to frequently asked questions, the latest tax law changes, forms and publications.

9. Remember number 17. Check out Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax, on the IRS website. It’s a complete tax resource that includes information such as whether you need to file or how to choose your filing status.

10. Review your return. Don’t rush. We all make mistakes when we rush. Mistakes slow down the processing of your return. Be sure to double check all Social Security numbers and math calculations on your return as these are the most common errors. If you run into a problem, remember the IRS is here to help. Start with IRS.gov.

Helpful links:

MATRIX Consultants

• MATRIX "How-to" Video: http://itstaffing.matrixresources.com/ourconsultants/payroll/taxes
• Consultant Payroll Information: http://itstaffing.matrixresources.com/ourconsultants/payroll

Everyone

• Source: http://www.irs.gov/uac/Tax-Tips-for-2013-1 
• IRS e-file: IRS.gov/freefile
• Withholding Calculator: http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/IRS-Withholding-Calculator

Question: Do you believe in “job security”?

My answer to this question may shock you because I do believe in “job security.” Now wait before you stop reading this post, let me explain. If you think about job security in the terms of working for a single company for 30+ years and then retiring from said company with a nice pension, then yes, this type of job security is long gone. However, this is not the type of job security I am talking about. When I talk about job security, I am talking about a brand of job security that rests solely in your capable hands. YOU are your own job security! Job Security

Companies are looking for more in their IT professionals than ever before. They are looking for IT professionals that can communicate their ideas effectively in written and visual form; know how to network in professional environments; have a solid on-line and off-line presence (brand) and technical know-how. In short, they are looking for well-rounded IT leaders.

As you know, we now live in a global market where your coworkers can live halfway around the world. Basic IT jobs are being outsourced to offshore companies. It has been a growing trend over the last few years for companies to use offshore resources to cut costs. Whether you agree with this method of cutting costs or not, it is a trend that is not going away anytime soon (if at all). Your job security depends on your ability to stand out from the global competition. To do that you will need more than just your technical skills. You will need to become that IT leader that companies are looking for! Now, you may be thinking that becoming an IT leader does not apply to you because you are not in management. If this is your thought, you are wrong! Everyone is a leader, regardless of their role.

Question: How do you become an IT leader?

There are tons of books and blogs that you can read on the topic. And like any endeavor you chose to undertake, you should study and learn the mechanics of that endeavor. You must not only learn how to be a leader, you must practice being one. For example, by joining and volunteering with a professional organization like the Atlanta chapter of BDPA (Black Data Processing Associates), you can gain the opportunity to build your leadership skills.

Atlanta BDPA is a non-profit 501(c)(6) professional IT organization dedicated to developing career-minded IT professionals through networking and education, transforming them into leaders and innovators in the IT industry. The group’s programs and initiatives are designed to support IT professionals and help them achieve the next level in their careers as leaders. There are various groups and associations around the country focused on a wide variety of IT related topics that will help you grow your leadership skills if you get involved with them.

IT Leader

Many professional organizations will host events specifically created to help you further your career and develop your professional skills. Recently, the Atlanta BDPA chapter hosted a professional development boot camp which was hosted at MATRIX Resources’ Atlanta office. Attendees participated in a full day of intense sessions on topics like marketing and branding yourself (online and offline), how to lead and run a meeting effectively, and how to network and give an effective presentation. Participants also had an opportunity to review their resume with IT recruiters and participate in mock one-on-one and panel interviews. Boot camp attendees walked away with valuable feedback, a strategic plan of action, and a video copy of their mock interview for their review.

Participating in workshops like these, even if you are not currently job seeking, can help you build the confidence and skills you need to be successful in your career. On the MATRIX Resources’ Opportunities website, there is a calendar where you can find the schedule for many cities’ IT user groups. Attending professional associations and user groups can help you gain leadership skills crucial to building your personal job security.

Dr. Earl Suttle, Ph.D.,  recently “WOWED” some lucky MATRIX clients with his seminar on Leadership, Motivating and Keeping their best employees.  Feedback was overwhelmingly positive from this event and we thought we would share some of the nuggets gleaned from the session for the rest of our MATRIX family.  Please read on for some “Pearls from Dr. Earl”:

If you want your staff to be happier and more enthusiastic about their jobs, you will need to learn skills that will help make leading your team more productive and personally rewarding than you ever expected. To begin your journey of discovery, here are 4 of my Pearls of leadership wisdom and some practical steps you can take to turn insight into action:

- If you want to be a more effective leader in your company, you have to study leadership.

Question: Are you reading leadership books or listening to leadership CD’s that will take you where you want to go in the next five years?

- You have to process your leadership inwardly.

Question: Are you taking time to self-reflect if you are becoming the leader you want to be? - You have to practice your leadership outwardly. Question: Are you applying your leadership strengths in your daily work as a leader and seeking feedback from others regularly on your leadership effectiveness with them?

- You have to be willing to pass your leadership skills to others.

Question: Who are you developing to take your place? At the end of your life, you will not be asked what you have accomplished, but who have you helped.

“Self-knowledge is the beginning of self-improvement.” (Spanish proverb) It may take some time to sort through the various ideas to find one that fits you. Be patient, but determined. Find your special talents. Remember, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” (Peter Drucker)

Lately Twitter has been blowing up among IT professionals. Many IT professionals know Twitter inside and out, while others are still trying to figure out how it all works.

If you are just using Twitter to talk about yourself or see what your friends are up to, Facebook is a better option for that. Twitter is a source of breaking news – locally, globally and in your specific industry. It is a way to get words of wisdom from the most influential leaders in the world. It puts you in conversations with people you admire that you may never meet. It can even be a job board, a newsletter of upcoming events and conferences in your area, a source of humor and laughter for your day, a way to stay on top of the latest cultural trends, or free access to the minds of your favorite celebs.

If you have an account and are following the right people, you have taken the first steps to getting the full value out of Twitter. Here are some good ideas of what to do next:

Connect with local user groups. Hopefully if you are a techie living in a big city like Dallas or Atlanta, you have found local user groups to get involved with. Most user groups have their own Twitter accounts or personal hashtags. Let your followers know what groups you are going to by checking in on Twitter and tagging the group or speaker. By using specific hashtags of the group, you can live tweet during the meeting and follow what other attendees are saying. After the meeting, keep the conversation going by tweeting comments or questions at the speaker or other members.

Engage tech leaders in your community. There are influential leaders in every community that love to get into Twitter conversations about things like new tech products or their frustrations with their latest coding project. Follow these people and respond to their tweets. They probably won’t respond every time, but this will show your thoughts to your followers and maybe gain feedback from some of them. Reaching out to leaders in your field shows that you are relevant and eager to learn.

Maximize your job search. The most common way to use Twitter in a job search is to look up keywords like #ITjobs or #dfwjobs. There are also several job board accounts for different cities. However, this is not the only way to strategize as a job seeker. By tweeting out relevant articles to your industry and engaging likeminded people, you will stand out against other candidates. Recruiters and employers are likely to look at your social media profiles when trying to decide if you are a good fit for a company. Give them something to remember you by.

Use lists. Follow popular tech blogs and put them all into one list for easy access. Then, put local developers or industry peers in another list to keep up with their tweets. This will not only add organization to your life, but it will also make it extremely easy if you follow a lot of people but want to quickly check what your friends are talking about without having to scroll through a bunch of other accounts.

Promote your work.  If you have a blog because you just cannot say everything you want in 140 characters, tweet it out. I can never say this enough, so USE HASHTAGS. If the topic of your blog relates to jQuery, tweet the link at jQuery accounts, such as local user groups or experts or fellow jQuery enthusiasts like you. If you do not have a blog but do design or develop web pages, share those too. Let Twitter be an outlet to showcase your talent.

Ask questions. The best way to engage people on Twitter is to ask questions because they are more likely to get a response. People love when you give them a topic that they are interested in, and many are quick to offer their opinion. Twitter is its own little community, connecting people from any location on what they are passionate about. This is a great way to gain insight from others and learn from leading experts.