Interview Tips

An interview is a two-way street. Certainly, the company is interviewing you to see if they want to offer you a position. This is also your opportunity to interview them. You must approach each interview in this frame of mind with the goal of securing a second interview. Excite the hiring authority so much that he/she will make an offer as a result of the first meeting. At that point, you make the decision if you want the job.

The primary goal for the telephone interview is to get a face-to-face interview. The primary goal for the face-to-face interview is to get an offer. More people win interviews and get hired on the basis of their attitude than on their qualifications. As an interviewee, you are primarily a seller. The product you are selling is yourself, and the assets of the product consist of your experience, skills, and personality. Bring documentation to the interview such as awards, letters, pictures, memos, anything showing you are someone special in your business. A neat, crisp, error-free resume is mandatory.

Preparation

Be informed about the company. Nothing is more impressive in an interview than being knowledgeable about the company with whom you are interviewing.

• Products
• Market
• Number of Employees
• Current stock quotations
• Growth Record
• Sales
• Profits
• General Reputation
• Benefits
• Locations

Most Commonly Asked Interview Questions

Below are some of the most commonly asked Interviewing Questions. Practice answering these with a friend, spouse, mentor or family member. Better you make your mistakes with them, rather than out on the career interview of your life. If you are answering these types of questions for the first time in an interview, you're in trouble! You know the questions you will get. Have your answers ready. Practice answering these questions with your "Interviewer" till you like your answers. Writing your answers down will give you better answers and more self-confidence.

• Tell me about yourself.
• What are your strengths?
• What are your weaknesses?
• Why did you leave your last job?
• What are your accomplishments?
• Why do you want this job?
• Why do you want to leave your current job?
• Why do you want to come to work here?
• What are your personal and professional goals?
• What do you like most about your current job?
• What do you like least about your current job?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• Tell me about your favorite boss and what you liked about him or her?
• Describe your ideal boss.
• How would you describe yourself?
• What was the most difficult situation you have faced?
• How did you react?
• How would a close friend describe you?
• What are your accomplishments?
• Give an example of a time when you took the initiative at work.
• Think of a crisis situation where things got out of control.
• Why did it happen and what was your role?
• Have you ever failed?
• If you had your life to live over again, what would you do differently?
• What are your goals?
• Why did you select your college or university?
• What college subjects did you enjoy the most and why?
• What college subjects did you enjoy the least and why?
• What are your hobbies?
• How did you like school?
• Did you hold any positions of leadership in any organizations?
• If you had the chance to repeat your career, what would you do differently?
• What past jobs have you held?
• What job did you enjoy the most?
• Why should I hire you?
• If you could meet anyone in history, living or dead, who would you meet and why?
• What words best describe you?
• What criteria are you using to evaluate the company for which you hope to work?
• What do you know about our company?
• Are you willing to relocate?
• How do you feel about working overtime?
• Have you ever been fired?
• Why should we choose you over any other candidate?
• What's the most important thing you want me to remember about you, based on this interview?

In addition to practicing answering the above Interviewing Questions you should have 20 written questions to ask on each interview. You may not ask them all, but just having them with you will boost your confidence. Remember MOPFI, taught by Dale Carnegie. It stands for: Make Other People Feel Important.

In-Person Interview

Personal Appearance

• Be neatly groomed.
• A conservative suit or dress is highly recommended.
• Shoes should be shined.
• Hair should be neatly cut and styled.
• Clothing should be clean and pressed.
• Do not wear excessive jewelry or makeup.
• Go easy on perfume/cologne.

Attitude

• Be friendly and relaxed.
• Be enthusiastic and confident.
• Be ambitious.
• Be as controlled as the situation demands.
• Project a well thought-out image of yourself for a given position.
• Convey sincerity, dedication, and professionalism, as well as a high energy level.

Other Tips

• Gear your comments to stress sales, profits, costs, and growth whenever possible.
• Be prepared to indicate how you can play a major role in solving their problems.
• Indicate that you admire certain achievements of the organization.
• Underplay your need for a new job. (You are seeking an opportunity.)
• Take pen and paper to the interview and arrive early.

Concluding Comments on Interviewing

• Select a quiet area for the telephone call, with no distractions.
• Stand up when you make the telephone call. You will be less nervous.
• Call the hiring authority by their first name. Use strong voice tone.
• Be UP and ENTHUSIASTIC!
• Keep your phone away from your mouth. Do not mumble. RELAX and speak slowly.
• Make notes. Use an organized outline format, not script.
• Learn about the personality, hobbies, idiosyncrasies, etc. of the hiring authority.
• Present yourself as an honest person. Do not try to hide anything.
• Always find out to whom your position specifically reports and try to ascertain that person's skill in your area.

Situations to avoid on phone or first interview:

• Do not talk about dollars or work hours.
• Do not discuss security-related issues (i.e. benefits, layoff benefits).
• Do not criticize current employer. Be politically correct when giving sound reasons for wanting to leave.
• Be careful about posing a threat to your prospective boss's position.
• Never exhibit signs of nervousness or boredom.
• Avoid discussions on race, religion, and politics.
• Never imply that you can do everything or work miracles.

Information Gathering:

80% of the time, you should be talking, leaving the interviewer only 20% of the time to talk. Have a written list of questions ready to ask the interviewer, such as the following:

• Reflect that you are a "contributor."
• Reflect that you are not afraid of the job.
• Ask how the hiring authority got to the position they are in.

Persuasion

• Be prepared to list what qualifications you have to handle "keys of the job" (short term problems which we have determined in advance) and link your qualifications to handle each of these key problems, crossing them off your list as you relate each to the interviewer.
• Be prepared to point out areas where you have learned/gained new experience to overcome potential deficiencies in your background or to explain some "undesirable events," such as being fired. (Don't attempt to make excuses for a firing, but admit "I was fired - do you want to know why?")
• Address your willingness to accept change.
• Close the interview by setting up the in-person interview, if only by telephone.

Concluding Comments on Interviewing

Your primary objective is to leave an impression that is more favorable than the other candidates competing with you. Everything you say and do is under scrutiny. Use moderation in all aspects of your social conduct. If you have lunch or dinner with prospective employers, again, use moderation, including your alcohol consumption.

It is a good sign if the interviewer knows your resume background before you begin the interview and if he/she begins speaking in terms of your solving some of the organization's problems. Master the art of complimenting in a genuine and sincere manner.

After the Interview

Write a synopsis of the interview immediately afterwards and call us as soon as possible! If you are interested in a position, follow-up with a letter to the interviewer making sure to have the correct name, title, and address. The letter, in addition to thanking the interviewer for their time, should again spell out your prime assets and accomplishments and your continued interest in the job. Follow-up with a call to the manager in a week to restate interest in the job and see if you can schedule another interview at that time. Some employers don't like candidates to call them directly when they are working with a recruiter, but we have found if a candidate is in the running for a job, there is no harm in calling directly. Candidates can often do a better job selling themselves than we can at that point in the process. Convince the manager that you want the job and ask for the job, or another interview.

If you want additional interview tips, please contact us and we can expound in greater detail on each of these areas that we have covered. Good luck!