Golden Job

It's all about Job and Career!

Here’s how to make your interview top notch:

1. Be on time.
Apart from force majeure being late is quite simply unforgivable. You can guarantee it will not be forgotten and can only be detrimental. The night before your interview look up the address of where the interview is (especially if the company has multiple offices) and prepare all the documents you need to take with you. Plan your route and know what time you need to leave. Now add half an hour minimum. Travel problems and bad weather can affect your journey so be prepared. If you are early, scout out where the building is, check the time and go for a coffee making a note of how long it took to get to the coffee shop and therefore how long it will take to get back. It may seem like you are planning a SAS mission, but it will be preparation worthwhile.

2. Firm handshake
A firm handshake gives a good impression. It states that you are confident and that you are serious about the interview. Even if you have to wipe your hand because you are a sweating wreck, get it right.

3. Interview them
The most impressive candidates are the ones who not only ask questions but are the ones who are keen to make sure the company is the right move for their career. Don’t be aggressive or pedantic but make the interviewer sell to you. This presents a good impression of you and provides you with valuable information for later interviews.

4. Give them everything they need
When your interviewer walks out the door they need to have pretty much made up their mind that you are progressing to the next stage. To help them, make sure your answers are full explanations and not one word answers.

Ask at the end of the interview if they need any other information to help in their decision. This is a nice way of suggesting that they voice any concerns they may have or alternatively if you feel you have built a rapport, ask them straight out if they have concerns. This is a personal decision as you may feel it too bold or that the interviewer will react negatively, either way, when the interviewer leaves the room they need to have all the information you can give them to make their decision.

5. Hunt down your interviewer
This will not always work, however, the internet gives you a massive advantage and may well pay dividends. More often than not the HR department will forward you the name of the interviewer. Use this information! Google, facebook, linkedin are all libraries of personal information. Finding out before you walk through the door that your interviewer has the same interests as you or that they studied the same course at the same university can be a massive advantage. However, this works both ways and it may be worth looking to see what your name brings up – is it the image you want to portray?

6. Dress code
On many occasions I have heard that wearing a suit and tie is the safest bet for an interview. As a rule yes, however, dress code in a company is usually a reflection of the culture there and many now operate casual dress codes. If a company specifically says that you can wear whatever you want, then smart casual may well be the way to go. To be safe, wear the full works for an initial interview and take it from there. Be aware – I know personally of companies that have frowned on candidates walking in to latter stage interviews after already seeing the dress code and being told they can wear whatever they like. If you are not sure, ask in the first interview and gauge the reaction from there.

7. Build Rapport
How you do this is up to you but I would advise against cracking jokes. Be friendly, smile and be open.
Psychological barriers can have an impact – try to have as few obstacles as possible between you and your interviewer such as don’t fold your arms and if possible sit on the corner of a table next to an interviewer. This is better than across a boardroom, however, it cannot always be helped.

It is common practise to create an interview panel from different departments in a company and levels of seniority.  Regardless of whether they are going to be your peers, your new boss or will never even be on the same project as you, every interviewer has to answer one simple question – Would I want to work with this person? Make the answer a simple one…

8. Documents.
I have never heard of a hiring manager or interviewer refuse an applicant to have their CV in front of them. You should know your CV off by heart, but they may select a particular phrase or section of information, which without context you might struggle to answer. Check at the start of the interview if they mind.

Have a pen and pad to hand. At the start of the interview ask if the interviewer minds you jotting notes down. Every interview is a chance to learn more and taking notes can only highlight your interest.

9. Ask for a glass of water.
Asking for a cup of tea or coffee may result at best in a burnt tongue or at worst turning up in a cup and saucer. Nerves and chinaware do not mix. Having a dry mouth may inhibit your performance and a glass of water can be a great technique in an interview to buy extra time. If you are asked a tough question, a few sips of water and returning the glass to the table looks far more presentable than umming and erring your way through.

10. Be positive.
This includes your aspirations, reasons for leaving jobs, past employers and answers to questions. Interviewers and companies will be reluctant to hire someone that they think will be hard to work with or may be negative. If you have to answer a potentially negative question then at least tag positives on to it. Being able to draw positives from a damaging scenario can make all the difference.

Today Interview is an exhibition of candidate’s talent. It’s a process through an employer gets to know, how to bridge a gap between employment: Demand and Supply.

Modern interviews are not only stress to the candidates, but also equal stress to the employers. For the candidate the stress is to get the right job, and on the other the stress is to get the right candidate.

What is an interview?

“Interview is an art of expressing self, where an interviewee is a seller and an interviewer is a buyer”. An interview is nothing but bringing our internal knowledge outside and make other feel comfortable listening to it. It is nothing but an interaction between the sender (interviewee) and the receiver (interviewer). In the simplest word interview can be compared with the theory of the guest and the host relationship.

Man being supreme creation of god tends to learn by experience; the same is with the interview, we should never take interview as a negative note rather it’s a positive gesture to conquer next step with more perfection and maturity; where there are less chances of failure than the first. Our practice can provide us a mature platform from where we can make difference in the qualitative approach of getting selected or rejected.

This art of learning could be beautified through preparation and practice, as it is well said, “Practice makes man perfect”. To compete an interview with the flying colors the candidate need to learn with the same theory as he used to learn in his kindergarten stage, trail and error technique. As when we learn bicycle: The more we fall the better we grip, and one day we paddle it with even leaving both the hands.

Major interviews speak the success story of the deserving candidate in just five minutes. As the hiring managers don’t want to hire the most qualified person they also want to hire the person whom they like most to work with. It’s very easy to get to an interview but it is harder to turn an interview to a job. Interview can be successfully beaten by the magical charm of communication skills, where verbal and non-verbal communication plays a vital role. Articulation, phonetics and soft skills also multiply candidate’s success change during the interview process.

Interview Selling Skills

“Selling is an art and for that we need to be an artist.” The most important aspect to master in selling skills is to master on two major aspects; first is the product and the second is service. In order to bridge the gap between product and service we need to believe in self, as it is well said, “Self Confidence is the key of all locks.” Confident person can chase his hardship much smoothly than the one who is crippled with diffidence.

Six Sigma’s for Interview Success:

As it is said that interview is an interaction, but this interaction can easily be converted to triumphal victory by the magical spell of the interviewee, where he mingles his interaction with the six sigma effects by using his interpersonal skills, team spirit, social grace, business etiquettes, negotiation skills and behavioral trades.

Interview process is the sum totals of six most important skills that makes correlated bond between Interviewee and Interviewer.

Six- sigma’s between Interviewee & Interviewer

ü      Interpersonal Skills

ü      Social Grace

ü      Behavioral Traits

ü      Negotiation Skills

ü      Business Etiquettes

ü      Team Spirit

Among many job aspirants the most crucial and stressful zone is the interview hall. Although they may have all required qualifications, experience and well framed records, yet they may lose the battle to conquer to the other, who are well versed and confident at the time of interaction and can answer the questions in the most acceptable way keeping the track of their interpersonal, social, as well as their behavioral skills. He needs to also sell his business acumen, team spirit and attitude at the time of interaction. These are really the basic component that makes a candidate perfect. No matter what your industry or the role is; effective selling skills are integral to your success.

As it is well said by James Allen: “For true success ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now”?

Interview & Three major Elements

The most important fact about the interview process is the first impression that a candidate scripts in the mind of the employer in just initial five minutes.

Research shows that initial first impressions are made up of the following Three Elements:

55% visual impact, i.e. dress, ****** expressions and body language;

38% tone of voice; communication skills: verbal and nonverbal

7% from what you actually say. All is not lost if you are very nervous at the outset but try to create the best first impression you can – a warm smile and firm handshake will help.

When you are being interviewed it is very important that you give out the right body signals as body speaks more than words. During interviews one should always look attentive; a bad body language can disqualify the image of an employee in the very primary rounds of interaction. As it is well said, “face is the index of mind.” We should never forget that, one of the most burning questions in the mind of the interviewer will almost certainly be ‘Will this person fit in?’ Therefore, if you are perceived as being a good fit with the prevailing corporate style and culture you will be strengthening your case and it wouldn’t be wrong to state, that knowledge of Kinesics will add to the overall persona of your personality. The success graph of the deserving candidate is been sketched at the moment he enters the interview venue or the interview room, his body language clearly depicts his mental attitude. The positive body language can even be judged by a novice interviewer not very familiar with the kinetic traits.

The initial five minutes can make or break the connection between two people when they meet for the first time. The starting point for any interview preparation is to try and understand oneself. First impressions are crucial! The employer obviously believes you are qualified to do the job, which is why they have asked you to an interview. But still many interviewees fail because of poor communication skills, which is not only the content of your speech, but includes other non-verbal behavior such as eye contact, posture, ****** expression, tone of voice, and gestures.

Get all of your preparation out of the way well in advance, and allow plenty of time to get to the interview so that you arrive in a cool calm state. Arriving 15-20 minutes early is appropriate. One should be well prepared about the location and required time in order to deliver the best results. The interviewer is looking for a candidate who is interested, enthusiastic, and confident. Professional appearance is extremely important, when you first meet the interviewer, give a firm handshake with greet and smile and let the interviewer take the lead when directing you towards their office and once you are in their office by waiting for them to offer you a seat.

Confidence is the magical word, if you are confident then you will be relaxed, calm and organized and able to talk lucidly about yourself, you will be able to look the interviewer in the eyes, you will not slouch or fidget – you will have the potential to clinch the job. Along with the confidence one need to be very particular about dressing sense. Try and understand all aspects, be it your appearance, personality, likes, dislikes, strengths or weaknesses. Many people think that, interview is a place where one should always speak of positives, but speaking about weaknesses is not negative as it enables us to reason for self improvement.

Interview & 3 C’s Principle:

IP= C³

IP stands for Interview Principle

C³ stands for Credibility, Capability & Compatibility

All three are correlated to each other and hence work as a bond.

Interview Categories:

Screening Interviews

Telephonic Interviews

Face To Face Interviews

Panel Interviews

Group Interviews

Structured Interviews

Campus Interview

Performance /Situation Interviews/ Stress Interviews

Online interviews

Presentation Interviews

Video Conferencing

Dinner Interviews

Screening Interviews

This is the most primary type of interview. In this category the candidate is categorized by different set criteria’s like: subjective, departmental, academic, profession & experience.

Note: Most people loose their hold in interview at the screening rounds, wherein this round is very crucial.

Why is the screening Crucial?

Through this process only the candidate is invited for interview.

One must be very particular, while filling his forms or forwarding his CV/Resume.

Where the hand written details are to be forwarded we need to be very cautious about spellings, vocabulary, and grammar as well as writing skills.

People are using internet as the main source of communication but they are least tentative in making the ID’s matching with their profile, here also most of the candidate loose points. We should always go for decent Email: ID’s

We also need to keep in mind that the photographs that we affix in our CV / Resume need to be updated and need to also match with the desired profile.

Telephonic Interviews

Seeing the time frame many of the organization are focusing on the telephonic rounds. The basic criteria of the telephonic interview session are to judge employment objective, education, or required skills.

Note: Responding to the telephone/mobiles is much tougher than carrying it. Since these interviews can often occur unexpectedly, it is important for a candidate to know the best practice of using it.

How to handle telephonic interviews?

1)      Telephonic interviews basically checks the communication skills and interpersonal etiquettes of a candidate; hence it becomes important for us to talk confidently and maturely at the time of interaction.

2)      When we receive any such call, we should always greet the person and should talk clearly

3)      Avoid or reduce distractions. Always search a quite place for interaction.

4)      You need to have enthusiasm and self confidence while answering the questions.

5)      Keep small note of your academic/ professional details and highlight your strengths.

6)      Avoid caller tones and absurd openings at telephonic rounds.

7)      In your absence groom your acquaintance  to receive telephonic calls properly

8)      Make it more professional by your voice, mannerism and always pay thanks back at the end of the call.

Face To Face Interview

As it is well said,” First impression is the last impression”. Face to face interview works like a mirror for the interviewee and interviewer. It can be explained as a direct answer to a demanded question so we need be well prepared for the face to face interaction.

Note: words play a powerful role in this kind of interactions so, when you come to face such interactions you need to be well advance prepared about yourself, your profile, subjective contents, company profile, work experience as well as the current industrial demand.

Handling Face To Face Interactions:

1.      Face to face interview can make or mar the prospects of a candidate for his further rounds. The impression you make will be a lasting one. It is vital to look your best. Dress conservatively and in good taste and be confident and calm.

2.      Always focus on your SWOT analysis. You can win your interview by your strength and opportunities but on the other hand you should also highlight your weaknesses in such a positive manner that it leads you to a door of self evaluation and opens a way of self improvement.

3.      To master face to face interactions a candidate need to impose five listed elements within self.

ü      Punctuality

ü      Politeness

ü      Professionalism

ü      Positive Attitude

ü      Pro-activeness

Panel Interview

Panel interviews are also titled as committee interviews. These interviews are basically conducted with several individuals at one time, typically sitting around a conference table to evaluate the multiple skills of the candidate. The main purpose of such interactions is to provide a unanimous decision for the acceptance of the candidate.

Best deed to face Panel Interview:

Commonly great everybody: But face to the more mature person and if a lady is also a part of panel rounds than never forget to honor her. Be confident and sit smartly while facing panel interview

Keep eye contact with each person, with special attention to the individual who asked the question.

Remember that you can’t suffice each panelist satisfaction but your maturity, handling stress and positive interaction can win many success chances as many HR experts believe that the real check of a candidate is panel rounds so one needs to be prepared with all dimensional skills.

Group Interviews

As per the limitations of time the group interviews are becoming popular day by day. Basically group interviews are conducted to see the participation, communication and leadership skills of a candidate.

Note: As it is a team work where the main purpose is Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM), but we should never forget the main theme behind this round is to lead within the group. A candidate need to be smart enough to show his strengths living within the group and ultimately shine at the end to achieve results favoring him because the whole group will not get the job, it will come to that candidate who is the STAR(Situation, Task , Achievement, Result) performer.

How to Conquer Group Interviews?

1.      To conquer group interview a candidate need to first win his group, by his magical communication, content, knowledge and command on the topic in which the interaction is proceeding.

2.      He should show his STAR performance at the different stages of interaction

3.      Should also steal the dialogues of the team players and lead them by his interpersonal skills and would show brilliant task for the demanded situation and at end can achieve the targeted results.

Structured Interview

Structured interviews are commonly used for research departments are basically pre structured on a set pattern. They are also known as a standardized interview or a researcher-administered survey.

Note: The designed questionnaire need to also include all necessary details in-order to reach to the maximum possible results.

As these interviews are more statistical so the interviewing body need to plan systematically and must focus on the reliability and validity of results.

Campus Interviews

Campus interviews are becoming popular day by day. Corporate visiting campuses for recruitment and test candidates on their technical expertise, aptitude, and personality. These rounds are based to check the academic & industrial knowledge of the candidate.

Criteria of Campus Interviews:

The candidate’s communication skills and aptitude is judged through group discussions and written tests. His personality is evaluated trough presentation skills. Some companies also conduct online test at the preliminary rounds. Keeping in mind the corporate stress some companies also focus on psychometric test to know candidates maturity and his ability the handle stress.

Advantage to the candidate:

The best advantage for a candidate to win the campus interview is that he is well advance familiar about his interview destination and can perform better as it is the most comfortable environment for him.

Performance/ Situation/Stress Interview

In this category candidates are given certain task related to their workforce to perform. These situations can be categories in different areas as Academic, Social, Hr., Marketing, Finance, IT, IB Etc.

The motive of such interviews is to get the best results on spot. These rounds can also be categorized under audition interviews: like singing, dancing, acting etc. Candidates are asked to deliver presentation or demo in their respective area and even could be asked to solve certain stressful situations.

The most important thing to remember during the situational rounds is you show your competency.

Online Interviews

Internet is the best way of communication today. It is also the fastest and the cheapest medium of interaction.

Tips for online interviews:

Candidate need to write precise and to the demand of the questions.

Candidate need to have good command on his writing skills.

Spellings, formation and editing need to be checked before sending the mails.

One must be aware of formal writing.

Presentation Interview

With the emerging change interviews have also taken up electronic impacts within. It is becoming increasingly common for presentations to be delivered as part of the recruitment process. It enable employer to assess individual’s talent for effective organization growth. Communication skills, Confidence, presentation, body language, concepts are certain parameters to collate and analyze information. Now the usage of projectors, laptops has also added professionalism in the delivery of the candidates and hence the corporate is focusing more on the presentation skills.

Tips for better Presentation Interviews:

Dress professionally: Matching Profile.

Rehearsal the topic as much as possible.

Know your target audience.

Command on topic as well as with the time frame.

Good body language

Pleasing personality/Smiling attitude

Audience friendly attitude.

Complete homework including entire aspects.

Good blend of knowledge and humor.

Voice modulation.

Video Conferencing

The widest form of interaction is video conferencing. This form of interaction is very common in most of the international brands. It is more conventional and time saving. The basic requirement to conduct such type of interview is camera, microphone and software.

Dinner Interview

These interviews are becoming popular day by day but the most important aspect to remember about such type of interaction is that we needn’t to forget that we are not going for party or dine out where the most hidden aspect is the interview. Remember that the purpose of the dinner interview is to get to know you. Eating should always be secondary to conversation.

Think to Remember:

Most of the companies ask employee for a dinner interview to check confidence and acumen of handling stress and also social grace.

Tips to follow:

Know all dinning and business etiquettes in advance. These etiquettes will always give you the edge over another candidate.

Dress smartly.

Less interest on food and again more on communication skills.

Emphasis more on non-verbal skills.

Be confident and where you feel nervous wait for others to proceed first.

Avoid taking that food for which you are not at all familiar.

Take water before the core meal.

Be polite. Remember to say “please” and “thank you” to your host and well as with the server.

Interview and Dressing:

Dressing plays a vital role in the interview success. Clothes reveal half of the story about the success chance of the candidate. Today most of the youngsters are running far away from the true discipline of formal dressing and hence when they try these outfits at the time of interaction they are totally uncomfortable. Sometimes it is noticed that during campus interviews student borrow the formals from their peer group and thus are confused not only at the part of dressing but also at the conceptual delivery. This is the main reason to give uniformity at all working levels not only schools but corporate and business schools are also tying up with the concept of formal dressing sense to bring more corporate looks at both personal and professional sense.

As such there is no hard and fast rule for interview dressing but yes one should always dress formal with smart appearance and the most crucial point is we need to dress according to our professional demand. Interview dressing should match as per job profile of the company and suiting country norms.

Men and Women common Dressing:

ü       Conservative two-piece business suit (solid dark blue or grey is best)

ü       Conservative long-sleeved shirt/blouse (white is best, pastel is next best)

ü       Clean, trimmed fingernails

ü       Minimal cologne or perfume/deodorant

ü       Empty pockets—only mobile( silent mode) and handkerchief

ü       Dark shoes (black lace-ups are best)

ü       Dark socks (black is best)

ü       Clean shaven face

ü       No gum, candy, or cigarettes

ü       Light briefcase or portfolio case

ü       No visible body piercing (nose rings, chains, bracelets &  eyebrow rings, etc.) or tattoos/ mehandies

ü       Wear a suit with a jacket and skirt or slacks.

ü       Shoes with conservative heels

ü       Clean, polished conservative shoes

ü       Minimum use of ornaments

ü       Avoid large purses but can carry laptop briefcase.

ü       Enamels need to be conservative in color

ü       Well-groomed hairstyle -Keep your hair shot and if long avoid open.

ü       Keep your makeup simple and natural

Conclusion

We can win the interview with our selling skills that we can master from our academic and professional career as well as with our maturity to understand current affairs like economic, social behavioral, science and political issues. We need to be confident but overconfidence can ruin our possibilities for interview success. The most important aspect to remember is that we should start preparing for our interview since the moment we choose our career. Never enter an interview hall without prior homework as it also increases the failure and disappointment chances of a candidate. Study the company profile and the vision as well as the mission of the responding company because most of the interview questions revolve around the above concepts. Speak clearly and enthusiastically about your experiences and skills. Try to be honest but optimistic and speak as you are sharing your ideas and thoughts. Don’t forget that greeting is the magical mantra and smile is the tantra for your success chance during interview. Prepare a solid self introduction as it is the most demanded question to enter the chakraview of interview. My purpose of sharing this article with you is to make you that Abhimanyu which not only knows how to enter the Chakraview but after negotiating all rounds successfully knows how to smoothly sail out victoriously with flying colors.

This is a question that you can almost count on being asked at your next interview What the interviewer wants to know is, “Why are you available?”

The answer you give could set the tone for the rest of the interview. For instance, if you were to indicate that you were bored or burned out at your last job, the interviewer would quickly become concerned about your performance at this company. The question can be especially tricky if you’ve had less than favorable conditions regarding your departure from a company. Regardless of the circumstances that have caused you to move, or are causing you to think about moving, you should be prepared to answer this question.

Below are examples of possible answers to this critical question. After reading them try to determine which is the strongest answer.

(A) The company had a re-organization, and my department was eliminated. The work had begun to dwindle so it was not a complete surprise. I liked my job and the people I was working with so I had been hoping that it wouldn’t affect us but unfortunately we were all let go. I would like to find a job similar to the one I lost.

(B) I am looking for a new challenge. I have been with my current company for two years now and don’t find the work as interesting as I once did. I am looking for a company where I can take on new challenges and grow. My current job is dead-ended for me.

(C) Since there are no advancement opportunities within the company, I have decided it would be a good time for me to look outside. I have set some career goals for myself that I could not achieve at that company. What I am looking for is a job with a bigger company where I can contribute, but also move on a career path that has more responsibility.

Have you selected the strongest answer? See if you agree with the advice below.

The Strongest Answer

(A) This is the strongest answer, not because of the lay off, but because it has an upbeat tone to it. You liked what you did and were hoping it wouldn’t happen. In other words, if it hadn’t been for something out of your control you would still be there. The answer indicates a good attitude about an unfortunate incident.

The Mediocre Answer

(C) This is an ok answer. It is natural to want to take on more responsibility. It is also acceptable to quit a job. A skilled interviewer would follow up with a question about your career goals and why you think you can achieve them at this company.

Would you have an answer prepared for that follow-up question?

The Weakest Answer

(B) This is the weaker answer because it is trite. One of the most common answers to this question is that you are “looking for a challenge.” An interviewer might be concerned that if you were bored at your last job, you might find this job boring as well, or at least not “challenging” enough.

There are no “right” or “wrong” answers to this type of question, but there are ways of saying the same thing in a way that will make a stronger impression. Before you head out to your next interview consider preparing for this and other difficult questions. A little time spent preparing and scripting of your answers before the interview will make a huge difference in the way you answer the question during the interview. (Excerpts taken from “Boost Your Interview IQ” – Carole Martin – McGraw-Hill 2004)

Your resume was the first impression you made. Your interview will be the deciding factor for the job. Before you head into your interview, there are a few things you should prepare for.

1. How large is the company – this gives you an idea of your chances for advancement, the types of jobs above yours, the number of employees, how fast it’s growing, etc.

2. How old is the company – this will give you an idea about its stability and the security of the position you are seeking.

3. What does the company do? Is it a service or product in which you can develop an interest?

4. What do you know about the position and what job responsibilities does it have? Be sure the position is one you want as it should not just be a source of income, but something you enjoy doing.

Once you have completed the research, you need to get ready for the actual interview. Dress for success. Remember, you only have one chance to make a good impression. Your first impression makes a lasting impression. Not to put any pressure on you or anything!!! BE EARLY, but not too early!! This sets the stage for your attendance in the future. Understand the background of the company you are interviewing for. Know what they are about and what they stand for. Research it if you have to.

The Interview

Always greet the employees you meet before, during, and after the interview with an aggressive handshake, except the receptionist. What I mean by aggressive, is, don’t be afraid to squeeze their hand a little, and initiate the shake. Don’t give a puny handshake by laying your hand inside theirs with no squeeze and no shake. Let them know you are there for a purpose and SMILE!! Comment on their clothes, office, facilities, or something, but don’t overdue it. For example: Mary (yes, please remember your interviewer’s first name and USE IT!), I love those earrings, where did you get them?

Your appearance makes a lasting impression. Before you even open your mouth at an interview, you have already made an impression by your manner of dress. It is vital you dress at a level appropriate for the job and not be a distraction. You should look fashionable, but not over dressed. For example, no large fancy earrings, only mild perfume or cologne, hair neatly combed, (for the guys of course), and remove your hat and/or coat during the interview.

Your attitude is the next most important piece of the interview. You have already grabbed their attention with your resume and they are talking to you because they believe you meet the qualifications of the job. Now, it’s your time to convince them you are right for the position.

1. Smile and be friendly – try to demonstrate a genuine enthusiasm and sincere interest in the position. Don’t be overly happy or bubbly and on the other hand, don’t be depressed and passive, either.

2. Give the interviewer the respect and attention that the position requires – don’t try to be a know-it-all; you should display a willingness to take direction, to learn and to grow within the position. Highlight what you do know, but don’t play it up. If you don’t know about a subject, ask. At least let the interviewer know the truth about your knowledge. Often times, they will not have an exact fit for the position, but if you are willing to go the extra mile to learn one subject you’re not very familiar with, the interviewer understands you can grow into the position.

3. Exhibit a desire to do more than the job requires – going one step beyond what is requested.

4. Keep your personal problems out of the interview – if you don’t, you may cast doubts on your ability to focus your full attention on the job. Problems with spouse, parents, or family are not an appropriate subject during the interview. Neither is the fact that your financial situation may be growing serious and you really need a job; no interviewer is going to respond favorably to being pressured should you try to “guilt” them into hiring you.

5. Thank the interviewer for their time – if you enjoyed talking with them, say so.

6. Be on time – many employers are on a tight schedule. Arriving more than 10 or 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment may interfere with other tasks they need to do; arriving late never makes a favorable impression.

7. Do not smoke

8. Do not chew gum – doing so gives the impression you don’t know how to behave in a business setting.

9. Avoid heavy perfumes and aftershaves – they are distracting and prevent an interviewer from focusing on your qualifications to do the job.

10. Sit across from the interviewer – there may be several chairs when you enter the interview room; choose one facing the interviewer. In the case of multiple interviewers, choose the best seat where you can see all interviewers.

11. Maintain good body posture – sit erect. Do not cross your arms. Be aware of nervous mannerisms; swinging your leg, clicking a pen, cracking your knuckles, etc.

12. Maintain eye contact – when there is more than one interviewer, divide your attention equally among those present, even if most of the questions are asked by just one person.

13. Do not use slang – words such as “yeah,” “you know,” “okay,” or “nah” should be avoided.

14. Do not ramble – give brief answers, yet provide all the necessary information; most answers should take no more than 30-40 seconds. Make sure your answers apply directly to the questions asked; when possible, emphasize your strong points within your answers.

15. Answer all questions fully – avoid replying with “I don’t know” since you DO know all about you and your feelings, likes and dislikes. If you don’t know the answer to a question, simply state the reason you don’t know the answer.

16. Do not bring friends or children to the interview – your social/home life belongs outside the employment setting.

17. Be honest – don’t mislead the interviewer by overstating your qualifications or understating your abilities.

The entire purpose of an interview is to determine whether your personality will blend with those of the other employees and the general atmosphere of the employment setting. Your qualifications have only gotten you to the interview; it is your attitude, personality, and your ability to describe your skills which will get you the job.

Sell yourself

You need to impress an employer with the fact that you possess many of the qualities that make a good employee. Giving concrete examples of these qualities makes you a much stronger candidate:

1. Creativity – Ability to listen to others

2. Initiative – Ability to learn from instructions

3. Maturity – Ability to take supervision

4. Self-starting ability – patience

5. Working with details – ability to accept criticism

6. Ability to work with others – sincerity

7. Innovation – neatness

8. Sensitivity – confidence

9. Problem solving ability – cooperativeness/teamwork

10. Punctuality – assertiveness

11. Striving for advancement – motivation

12. Sense of humor – dependability

Questions you should be prepared to answer:

1. Tell me about yourself – give a brief autobiography. This should include your schooling, education, interests inside and outside work, skills, etc.

2. How does your background fit this position – this is your chance to bring out those points which demonstrate your ability to do the job.

3. What did you like the most about your last job/What did you like the least – give a brief statement. This is a chance for the interviewer to find out what most concerns you about a job.

4. Tell me about your last supervisor – they are really asking, “How well did you get along with your supervisor?” BE HONEST! If you got along, provide some evidence of that good relationship. If things didn’t work out, explain why and what you’ve learned. Don’t be overly negative as you will only present yourself as a complainer.

5. Tell me about the people you worked with – the interviewer is really asking, “How well did you get along with your peers?” Answer the same as the previous question.

6. Why are you leaving the job you have now/Why did you leave your previous job – again, be honest. Don’t blame others for past difficulties. If you quit, state your reason, if you were fired, give an honest estimation of why.

7. Tell me about your most significant work accomplishment/What has made you the most proud of the work you have done – this is your chance to expand on your resume. Give details of the accomplishments for each job function and/or position you have held.

8. What has made you the most proud of yourself outside of work – this gives the interviewer an indication of how your initiative, motivation, and self-confidence have translated into actual achievements.

9. What do you know about the job/What do you know about this company – this is your opportunity to impress the potential employer with how well you have researched the company.

10. Why do you want this job – don’t answer “I don’t know” or “I need the money”. Tell them what makes THIS the job YOU want.

11. Did your job responsibilities change at any time in your last job – Simply a “yes” or “no” will do.

12. Have you taken any additional courses since graduating or leaving school – this lets the interviewer know if you are willing to learn.

13. How did you do in school – make a general statement concerning your grades, attendance, and extracurricular activities. The interviewer is looking to see if you are teachable.

14. What do you do outside work – make a general statement concerning your community involvement and leisure activities.

15. What are your future plans – give short-term and long-term goals. Make a simple statement, don’t drag it out.

These are general questions which would be asked in a normal interview, however; I have found that in answering some of these questions, they spark other, more complicated questions like:

1. How do you deal with stress or conflict

2. Describe your personality

3. Who do you turn to for help when making decisions/If no-one is available, are you comfortable making difficult decisions

4. Describe a difficult obstacle you had to overcome and how you handled it

5. Is there a question I haven’t asked you that I should

6. Why should we NOT hire you – this was difficult and I answered the question without answering it, if that makes any sense.

7. How would you describe your organizational abilities

8. When have you failed and how did you deal with it

Remember, during the interview process, answer all questions and try to ask a few for yourself. If you don’t get the opportunity to ask during the interviewer’s questions, they will give you the opportunity to ask questions at the end. Some interviewer’s don’t give the opportunity for you to ask questions for the simple reason that they want to see if you will initiate the questions if you aren’t asked. Here is a short list of questions you can ask if they are not answered in your discussions:

1. Is the position permanent

2. Why is the job open

3. How soon does it begin

4. What are the work hours

5. Who would be my supervisor/What does the supervisor look for in an employee

6. What qualities do you look for when considering people for promotion

7. When will the decision be made as to who is hired

8. What are the company’s business objectives/Where is the company going/Based on what I’ve read, it seems to me the company wants to _______; is that accurate

9. Do you encourage employees to further their education

10. What is the company’s policy and/or expectations regarding overtime where this job is concerned

11. ALWAYS ask about items you didn’t understand during the interview. If the interviewer is discussing a type of item you aren’t familiar with, ask them to elaborate on how their company uses it.

Asking one question is better than not asking any. This shows you have interest in the company and are genuinely interested in the position.

Avoid these questions:

1. How many sick days do you provide

2. How much vacation time do I get

3. Do you give an hour for lunch

4. When will I get a raise

5. How soon can I expect to be promoted

6. What does the position pay

These are all questions asking, “What’s in it for me?” This is definitely not an attitude that is going to get you hired. You must always keep in the front of your mind that you are asking someone to give you THEIR money. Would you be willing or eager to give your money to someone you felt was not going to give you what you paid for? Once the interview is over, don’t hesitate to call them with questions if they extended that option to you, but don’t bug them every hour with questions about getting hired. Your questions should be directly related to the functions of the position. Only during the second interview or the job offer should you discuss salary and benefits. At that point, you know they are interested in you and you should get into deeper subjects within your previous positions and what you can do for their company. The same rules apply to the second interview.

Being personable and approachable is the key. I know this is a wealth of information, but this is my experience and what I found worked well and what didn’t. I have been to several interviews where the interviewer was overwhelmed by my qualifications and explained that I was over qualified for their position, but offered me advice on my resume and interviewing skills. Simply because you are not offered the position, does not mean you should simply walk away. Ask the interviewer why they are not interested in you and what tips could they offer you in future interviews. Always walk away with something.