One of the most crucial steps in
the job search process is the initial interview. This is where
prospective employers will make their preliminary decisions
about whether to invest additional time in you. If things
go just right - it could even result in a job offer. Unfortunately,
many candidates make innocent but costly mistakes - which
ultimately work against them in the interview process. Most
of these mistakes can be avoided with a little planning and
preparation. By keeping the following points in mind and you
will turn more of your interviews into job offers.
Remember that prospective employers
may have to coordinate the schedules of 5 or 6 different managers
and executives in order to get you through a typical interview
session. A candidate who is willing to go out of her way to
accommodate the schedules of those setting up and conducting
the interviews will often receive preferential treatment and
accommodations. At the very least she will be positively regarded
relative to other interviewees who were less cooperative.
Under these circumstances playing hard to get can prove counterproductive
- especially when it creates hardship and inconvenience for
those you are trying to impress.
No matter how bright or articulate
you are, a lack of preparation will show through in your interviews.
Solid preparation in the form of significant, detailed research
on the company you are interviewing with will demonstrate
far more than interest - it will show that you approach important
decisions with considerable thought and analysis. There are
few things that you can do that will prepare you more for
an interview than conducting some preliminary research on
the company and then weaving that knowledge into the interview
process.
It will be very difficult for you
to convincingly articulate how you will bring value to the
organization if you don't have a solid understanding of what
the company does, where it has come from and where it is going.
Noteworthy Achievements
Utilize the Library, the Internet,
Annual Reports, magazine and newspaper articles, and other
public information. Be creative. If you have friends or
acquaintances that are employed by the organization, you
should gather as much information as possible from them
prior to the interview.
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Come Prepared: Bring Notebook,
Pen, and a Fresh Copy of your Resume
If you do not own a nice folder,
you should consider purchasing one. You want to appear as
professional, polished and prepared as possible during the
interview process. Walking into an interview with a yellow
legal pad and a pen emblazoned with the logo of the local
Holiday Inn is not likely to score many points with the
interviewer.
A professional looking portfolio
/ folder which conceals a notepad and has pockets for resumes
and other information will help you look and feel organized.
A nice pen will also add to your professional image.
While it may be a safe assumption
that interviewers will all be in possesion of a copy of
your resume when you arrive at the interview it is not always
guaranteed. Last minute schedule changes can often occur.
It is wise to bring half a dozen clean resumes with you
- just in case.
Arrive on Time
Above all else - arrive on time.
There are few sins more greivous than to show up late to
a job interview. Make sure you know where you are going.
If you are not sure where you are going - get good directions
and then leave early enough to find it. If you anticipate
traffic - leave with plenty of time to spare. Also be sure
to give yourself a few minutes to visit the restroom to
perform last minute touch ups prior to the interview. You
want to appear relaxed and presentable as you walk confidently
into the reception area - right on time.
Dress Appropriately
This generally means dressing
up. Occasionally you will be given specific instructions
on how to dress. If this is the case, then you may dress
accordingly. You should still err on the side of overdressing,
however.
Some employers will give you the
option of coming to the interview in casual or professional
attire. In such cases, you would be well advised to dress
professionally - that is, dress up. You can generally count
on the fact that the majority of applicants will be sporting
their most professional business suits. And while you are
certainly within your rights to dress casually, it is not
a statement that you want to make in an interview setting.
Avoid loud colors and faddish
clothing.
Conservative dress is always a
safe bet. Leave the Looney Tunes tie at home and the wild
socks in the drawer. There will be other opportunities to
wear these things - but not at a job interview.
Smile and Try to Relax
Smiling tends to relieve tension
and sends the message that you are confident, personable
and excited to be there. Spend a few private moments immediately
before the interview preparing yourself mentally. Review
your notes. Breathe deeply and slowly for a minute to relieve
built up tension and calm your nerves. Remind yourself that
you are a winner and that you will succeed.
Don't be Arrogant
Self confidence is good and acceptable
- arrogance is not. All too frequently in today's tight
job market an otherwise worthy candidate will confuse confidence
with arrogance. Confidence derives from a solid foundation
of preparation, and is demonstrated by a comfort level in
dealing with people, questions and issues under potentially
stressful conditions. Arrogance, on the other hand is not
grounded in preparation - but is based on the more shallow
and generally erroneous perception of an elevated self-worth.
Arrogance is often accompanied
by an attitude of disrespect and indifference and is not
likely to be met with much enthusiasm. The fact that the
job market is strong, does not imply that professionalism
and respect are not necessary elements of every job interview.
An arrogant attitude can cost you an offer in spite of your
qualifications. Don't let it be your dream job.
Ask Insightful Questions
It is important that you develop
a set of questions in advance of the interview. Do not rely
on your wits and memory - they may fail you at the conclusion
of a grueling interview. The easiest time to prepare questions
is during the research and preparation process. As you research
the company, make notes of things that interest or concern
you. Frame your questions carefully and write them down
on a separate piece of paper that can be kept close at hand
during the interview process. Rehearse the questions briefly
prior to the interview so that you can ask them in an intelligent
manner.
Employers can often learn as much
about you by the questions that you ask as by your responses
to their basic interview questions.
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Sell Yourself
All too frequently applicants
come to interviews woefully unprepared. During the interview
they feel compelled to sit idly by listening to the interviewer
tell them about the position and the organization in some
detail because they failed to gather this knowledge in advance
of the interview. Due to their lack of preparation they
are unable to ask any insightful questions. As a consequence,
the latter portion of the meeting is filled with pleasant
but irrelevant chit-chat.
As they think back on the interview,
they feel good it. The meeting was cordial, informative,
and in their mind, successful. What they don't realize is
that in fact the interview was a total failure. The primary
objective of a first interview is to inform the prospective
employer of your qualifications and to articulate your vision
of how you will add value to the organization. In short
- to sell yourself to the employer. If you fail to demonstrate
to the employer how the organization will benefit from having
hired you - then you have missed the point of this first
interview and probably missed out on an opportunity for
a job offer.
Don't be a passive bystander in
the interview process. Come prepared to articulate your
potential value to the organization in very clear terms.
Selling yourself will require a certain degree of tenacity.
You certainly don't want to overdo this, but it is far better
to come across as overly-energetic than to be perceived
as timid.
Save Questions about Salary,
Benefits and Vacation until after you Receive an Offer
Focus your questions and discussion
on what you can do for the employer - not on what the employer
can do for you. It is premature and presumptuous to discuss
the magnitude of potential offers, and enter into a line
of questioning about the benefits of the position, vacation
policies and promotional opportunities.
There will be plenty of time for
those questions if and when an offer is extended. Your objective
here will be to move the interview process along. You either
want to receive a job offer or a second interview - depending
on the situation.
Never Assume that you have
the Job Until you have a Formal Offer.
In other words don't stop selling
until you receive either a verbal or a written job offer.
Once you have a solid job offer in hand then the balance
of power has shifted. You are now within your rights to
request detailed information on the nature and scope of
the position, the compensation package, relocation and benefits
packages and the overall expectations of the job. A discussion
about how the position fits into the overall company heirarchy
and where the job leads is certainly appropriate and necessary
at that point in time.
Follow-up Prompty
Take the time to write thank-you
notes to those you interview with. Don't assume that because
an interviewer is not a major player in the company that
they have no influence on the decision process. The fact
that they were assigned as part of the interview team should
be evidence enough to suggest that their input will be taken
seriously. This means that you must take them seriously
and treat them as an important and significant part of the
interview process.
Preparing
for a Successful Interview
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