So, you’ve submitted a killer Curriculum Vitae and supporting documents. You’re ahead of the pack and have just received a call for an interview. What do you do next?
The interview is the most stressful and important part of job hunting. This is where the employers make a decision based on his or her impression of whether to hire you for their job. You will want to do your best in this part because here lays the culmination of all your job hunting efforts. Flub it here and all your efforts from application to examinations will go down the drain.
1. Make a Great Impression
Always dress in your best attire for the interview. Your attire should be appropriate. No matter what the company may require for their employees, the first impression for applicants should be conservative business attire.
2. Do a Little Research
One of the best ways to make a good impression on your interviewer is to do a little research on the company you are applying for. This will equip you with material to answer many of the questions the interviewer will ask. One of the main points of the questions you will be asked is how your skills can benefit the company. If you know a thing or two about the company, you will find it a lot easier to answer this question. Plus, dropping a few meaty tidbits about how much you know about the company will go a long way in impressing the interviewer.
3. Watch Your Body Language
Many of the interviewers are well versed in body language, and you will find that, throughout the interview, they will be looking for hints about your personality from the way you act, talk, and move. It would be abnormal to assume a different set of body language during the interview. What you should do is to take note of your body language so that at least it communicates openness and honesty.
Avoid telling lies or embellishing your answers. Experienced interviewers will notice this in an instant. Always keep your palms open and avoid crossing your legs or your arms together. Do not be afraid to make eye contact while speaking; just make sure that you do not come across as intimidating.
4. Confidence
Walk in with a purpose. Answer with a purpose. Try not to be too self-conscious. Make sure you are confident in what you say. If you hit a snag and find yourself in a compromising situation, make sure you handle the situation confidently – even when saying that you do not know an answer to a question.
Confidence reflects competence. Employers always look for competent people to fill their ranks.
Tags: Act, Ahead, Answer Questions, Body Language, Business Attire, Conservative Business, Culmination, Curriculum Vitae, First Impression, honesty, Interviewer, Interviewers, Job Hunting, job interview, Legs, Openness, Opportunity, Palms, Personality
A job interview is stressful. The person who hasn’t made a lot of changes isn’t practiced at what is involved (nor should they want to be), and the person who has made a lot of changes doesn’t have any idea as to what’s involved either, or they wouldn’t be making so many changes!
Preparing for the interview de-stresses the situation considerably. Yet, 78% of all candidates - regardless of the level for which they are interviewing - wing it! And frequently cause themselves to be weeded out in the process.
Like so much of the interview, seemingly innocent questions can trip you up. You think you are answering them in a way that puts you in the best light, but you’d be surprised at how many people completely miss the boat. Merely to hope an interview has a positive result is not enough. That’s basically forfeiting your ability to drive up the percentage of a positive outcome.
For instance, in response to the question, “Why do you want to work here?” some people will say things such as:
“I’ve worked in this industry for 15 years and been very successful. I feel I can make a difference in your organization. I have a proven track record of leadership. I’ve read in the paper that your company is having some problems, and with my experience as a Director of XXXXX, I can help straighten those out.”
That answer may sound good and appear to suffice, but on a scale of 1 - 10, it ranks about a 4!
Why? The answer shows no research, no thought, no consideration. It sounds stock and could suffice for any number of companies. Overall, unimpressive.
In my experience as a recruiter, I’ve found that while mid level management tends to UNDERanswer the question, upper level management will often OVERanswer the question. One group doesn’t provide enough information because of a limited lack of experience. The other group has been around, worked their way up the ladder in more than one company, and in their attempt to sound thoughtful, intelligent, and wise, end up saying very little at all.
Let’s look closer.
WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK HERE?
Here’s where you get to show off your research. Tell the interviewer what you’ve learned about the company, and why it’s appealing to you. SPECIFICS are the key here.
Relate those specific examples from your experience to what you’ve learned about the company, their focus, and their market. Look to your personality and what motivates you and how that relates to any details you learned from the ad, your recruiter, your friend who referred you, or from where you learned of this opportunity.
For instance, perhaps their ad stated that they were looking to establish a marketing department from ground up. If you thrive on growth, challenges, making things happen - there’s your answer - along with examples of how you have grown, established, or done market research in a parallel situation.
And you might ask, “What if it’s not a high profile company? What if it’s on the small side and local?” Right. Not every company is the size of General Electric or even a regional public powerhouse that you can look up in Dun & Bradstreet.
But most librarians are more than willing to help you find any information that might be present in any of their research books. Local newspapers may have done stories on the company, and the library would have those too. And these days, most companies have a website.
Share what you can do and why you feel you can make a contribution and benefit the company. This question is about how YOU can benefit the company, not how the company can benefit YOU.
TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF
Some interviews are lost right at this point. This is not an invitation to go on ad nauseum about everything that has happened to you since you were five years old or since your first job out of college. Nor is it the time to shrug your shoulders and give an unplanned, one-sentence answer.
Some people, especially those who haven’t prepared and have a tendency to talk when they get nervous, find themselves rambling. Put together a nice little 2 - 3 minute verbal bio about your career, your qualifications, and why you are interested. Know what you’re going to say in advance.
A FEW POINTS TO REMEMBER
In recruiting we used to say, “‘A’ candidates for ‘A’ companies, ‘B’ candidates for ‘B’ companies and ‘C’ candidates for ‘C’ companies,” and a ‘B’ candidate is not only some one who’s talents and track record is only so-so, it’s also an ‘A’ candidate whose poor interviewing skills MAKE him a ‘B.’
Knowing who you are, what you want, what you have to offer and what you’ve accomplished - and having it all on the tip of your tongue - can make or break you for a job offer - not just for your perfect job, but sometimes for even finding ANY job.
Being able to sell yourself, your skills, how you can benefit a potential company and then being able to close the deal necessitates taking the time to research and learn the company. It means knowing yourself well enough that you can apply aspects of your capabilities to the individual facts and details of that INDIVIDUAL company - and that you can do it smoothly without groping for words or just winging it.
And last, but not least, the words of Peter Handal of Dale Carnegie Training, echo the importance of interview preparation, including what strikes most people as silly - role playing. But as he said, “you only have one chance to make a really good impression,” and if you don’t take it seriously enough to study and thoroughly prepare, someone else will, and that’s the person who will get the job!
Do your homework before EVERY interview! There’s no chance to make a second good impression!
Tags: Closer Look, How Many People, Innocent Questions, Interview Questions, job interview, Ladder, Leadership, Limited, Lot, Organization, Preparing For The Interview, Proven Track Record, Recruiter, Stock, Upper Level Management, Xxxxx
Have you recently landed a job interview, from one of the job listings that you applied to? If you have, when is your interview scheduled? If your interview is scheduled to take place in a few days or even in a few hours, are you prepared for it? What you may not know is that most job applicants aren’t. To make sure that you are prepared for your interview, you will want to continue reading on.
When it comes to hiring an applicant, there are many interviewers who do place a large focus on personal appearance. This focus on personal appearance doesn’t just focus on beauty, but hygiene as well. Employers want to hire workers who will give their business a good public perception. That is why it is important that you give that good perception, especially in an interview. When attending a job interview, you will want to make sure that you are professionally dressed, either in a pant suit or a dress. Make sure that your hair is well kept as well. In fact, you may want to think about buying a new outfit or getting your hair done before your interview is scheduled to take place.
Before your interview, you may also want to make a trip to the store to purchase some needed supplies, if you don’t already own them. These supplies may include a notebook, writing utensils, and a thank you note. As for the notebook and a writing utensil, you may want to take notes during your interview. If you applied to more than one job listing, you may have multiple interviews scheduled. Taking notes during your interviews will help you keep all of them straight. Also, taking notes during a job interview makes you look as if you are more interested in the job. It is also shows a side of you that says “I am professional and always prepared.”
As for the thank you note, which was mentioned above, you will want to send a thank you note to your interviewer. A thank you note may also help to create a good, positive impression of yourself. With thank you notes, many have intentions of sending them, but not everyone ends up doing so. Having a standard thank you note already filled out and ready to go is ideal. In fact, you may also want to drop it off at the post off right after your interview has been completed. Of course, make sure that you don’t drop it off beforehand. Should the mail be delivered early or your interview needs to be rescheduled, you may be embarrassed with the early delivery of a thank you note, for an interview that never even occurred yet.
As you likely already know, job interviews are where hiring employers are able to learn as much as they can about you. This is often done by asking a series of questions. The questions that you are asked during a job interview will tend to vary, but most are likely focused around your goals and your work ethics. For instance, you may be asked to describe you strengths and your weaknesses, your goals in life, your desire to move up the corporate ladder and such. Even if these questions are expected to be asked, it can be nerve-wracking when they are actually asked. That is why you may want to do a number of practice interviews. These practice interviews work best with another person, like a family member or a friend, but you can also do them by yourself, like in front of a mirror. Practicing your responses before a job interview is one of the best ways to make sure that your answers come out exactly the way that you wanted them to.
The above mentioned preparation tips are just a few of the many that you may find useful, when it comes to preparing for a job interview. If you are hoping to schedule multiple interviews, you may want to invest in resource guides that focus on successfully mastering the interview process, as that interview process is often the deciding factor in whether or not you get hired.
Tags: Few Days, Hygiene, Interviewer, Interviewers, Interviews, Job Applicants, job interview, Job Listing, Job Listings, Notebook, Pant Suit, Personal Appearance, Public Perception, Writing Utensil, Writing Utensils
Are you looking for a new job or a new career? If you are, your first step should be examining job listings. When it comes to finding job listings, you have a number of different options. For instance, you can use your local newspaper, the internet, or career counseling centers. In a way, finding job listings is the easy part. Actually getting the job that you want is the hard part.
When it comes to landing a job that you applied for, your interview will play an important part in whether or not you are hired. If you are able to get a job interview for one of the jobs that you applied for, you are advised to proceed with caution. Your actions or your responses during an interview can either make or break you. To increase your chances of landing your dream job, or at least the one that you applied for, you will want to continue reading on, as some helpful tips are outlined below.
When going to a job interview, it is important that you are properly dressed. You would actually be surprised to learn how many job applicants show up to a job interview in unattractive, unprofessional attire. Even if you are just applying for a job as a cashier at one of your local supermarkets, you are still advised to dress professionally for a job interview. Depending on the job you are applying for, a dress or a business suit may be called for; however, a simple pair of black pants and a white shirt is much better than a pair of jeans.
You are also advised to bring a couple of copies of your resume to your job interview. This is something that many job applicants do not think to do, but it is actually a wise move. Yes, you may have already submitted your resume to the employer giving you the interview, but it is important to remember that they probably received hundreds, if not thousands, of resumes. It is not unheard of for resumes to get lost or misplaced. Bringing along an extra copy of your resume shows that you are responsible and likely to always be prepared. In addition to brining an extra resume for the interviewer, it is also advised that you bring a copy for yourself. This will make reviewing your work history and education easier, as everyone would be on the same page.
During the interview, you will be asked a number of different questions by the interviewer. One of the most common questions asked is about your strengths and your weaknesses. One of the biggest mistakes that a job applicant makes is stating that they don’t have any weaknesses. Everyone has at least one weakness or something that they wish that they could chance about themselves. You will want to be honest and admit this. Of course, you don’t want to go overboard. What you will want to do is try and make your weakness a strength as well.
At the end of most interviews, most interviewers ask the interviewee, which would be you, if you have any questions. You are advised to ask questions. In all honesty, even if you don’t have any questions to ask, you are advised to come up with some. Many interviewers use the “do you have any questions,” as a ploy. Many are turned off by interviewees who do not have any questions. Some even associated it with not be interested in the job or the company. Even if you ask about how the company got started or what the chances are for moving up the company ladder, you are advised to ask questions. Of course, be careful with the questions that you do ask. You don’t want to sound too pushy or overbearing.
At the end of your interview, it is extremely important that you shake the hand of your interviewer and thank them for the opportunity. This is very important. It is hard for some to imagine, but a simple thank you actually goes a long way nowadays, as it is hardly spoken anymore. It is also advised that you send a thank you note the interviewer you met with. This may not necessarily increase your chances of landing the job, but it will make you look professional.
By keeping the above mentioned tips in mind, you should be able to have a successful interview. As a reminder, interviews are the most important part of landing a new job.
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And when you are finally in the organization, all you have to do is be yourself and make true your claims of who you are and what type of employee you are. This is the opportunity you have been waiting for, and you now have the chance to shine – and prove them right.
Never be complacent and always strive to offer your best work to the company. You have been trusted and given the chance to prove your worth. Remember that you longed for this job for quite some time; you have it in you to make it work and not blow it up.
Study well their business processes and internal systems, and suggest for improvements for efficiency reasons. Do well your job and increase your knowledge to be more effective. Always believe that there is always a better way to do things – and you will find out that you can actually do more and give out high quality work.
Never cease to learn more about the job at hand – in so doing, you will continue to become a valuable asset to the company.
Tags: Blow, Business Processes, Business Systems, company, Efficiency Reasons, employee, hard working, High Quality, Improvements, job, job interview, Opportunity, Organization, Quality Work, Quite Some Time, walk the talk
